The Hunted
by Neuropsych
Summary: Mitchell Files X. Sheppard's away team comes up missing, so Mitchell goes to look for him, and finds more than she expected COMPLETE!
1. 1

The Mitchell Files X

**The Hunted**

_Author's note: I must be nuts to start yet another story with two already going, but I've done it before, and I really miss writing Mitchell and the Atlanteans. So I'm going to give it a go! This story is still an AU, remember, so things will be different than they are on the show. As for a timeline in the Mitchell Files series, figure that this is only a month or two after the end of the last story._

Disclaimer: I'm not making any money off this story, and don'town any characters I didn't create.

OOOOOOOOOOO

"Seriously, Colonel, if we put _this_ laser guided system in the _McKay_, it'll be the deadliest ship in the air – on any side of the gate."

Colonel Melony Mitchell looked down at the schematic for the weapons system that Rodney McKay was referring to and turned her attention inward for just a moment.

Well? Is that the one you want? Or do you want to go with Colonel Carter's?

_McKay's is better compatible with the rest of the systems_, Talon told his host after a moment of contemplation of his own. While Melony was the better military strategist of the two of them, Talon was by far the more scientific, and he knew she'd go along with whatever he decided – unless it was something she was really against. But this wasn't one of those things. _We should probably go with his_

She nodded, and looked up at Rodney, who had been watching her silently, knowing that she was probably discussing things with her symbiote.

"This is a good design, Rodney," she said. "Talon likes it."

He puffed up at the praise, and couldn't help the smug expression that crossed his features.

"But we're not going to call it the _McKay_, and I'm not going to tell you that again."

McKay deflated like a popped balloon.

"Aw, but Melony… it's such a _good_ name…"

"It's not like naming a puppy, Rodney."

"But-"

"Is he trying to convince you to name your new ship after him again?"

They both turned at the sound of a new voice, and Melony smiled as Doctor Elizabeth Weir walked over to join them. Since they'd been chatting, neither had heard her enter the lab – or approach.

"He's _trying_," Mitchell said.

"But not succeeding?"

"Not a chance."

McKay frowned.

"It's a good name."

"For an astrophysicist, yes."

"It's better than _Fugly_. Or _Fuglier_, for that matter."

"Tell that to Jack O'Neill," Melony said. "He's the one that named them."

"Well, General O'Neill is-"

"Can I talk to you for a moment, Melony?" Weir asked, interrupting.

Mitchell nodded.

"Sure. What's up?"

"Need me to leave?" McKay asked, sarcastically. He hated being interrupted, even by Weir, who he happened to have a lot of respect for.

She shook her head.

"Only if you want to. It might end up involving you, so you might want to stick around."

"Really?"

Weir looked at Mitchell.

"I'm worried about Colonel Sheppard."

Melony's smile faded immediately, and she automatically looked at her watch.

"He's not due back for another 15 hours."

"I know…"

"But…?"

"He didn't make his last check in."

"It's not the first time Colonel Sheppard ever missed a check in," Rodney said.

"When was his last one due?" Melony asked, ignoring Rodney for the moment – although he was right.

Weir looked at her watch – although she already knew.

"About an hour ago."

"That's overdue…"

It wasn't like it was just a few minutes or something. It was easy enough to lose track of time on an extended mission – especially if you were being hosted by the indigenous people of a planet – but an hour was a considerable block of time. Someone in the team should have remembered that Atlantis would be waiting to hear from them.

"Maybe they lost track of time," Rodney suggested. "The R'hurian days are about twice as long as ours. It'd be easy to do."

They have watches, Rodney," Weir said. She was glad Colonel Mitchell was taking it a bit more seriously than McKay was. While he was trying to come up with excuses, Melony's gray eyes were actually a little concerned.

"You've tried radio contact?"

Weir nodded.

"Right before I came looking for you. Nothing."

"It might not hurt to go check on him," Mitchell said. "Just to make sure everything is okay."

"The R'hurian's are a _peaceful_ society," Rodney objected, not at all enamored of going on a mission when he was so close to getting Mitchell to name her new ship after him. "The away team probably just got distracted."

"Let's hope it wasn't something with big, sharp teeth," Melony said, sliding the schematics to her new laser system into a protective folder and putting it back on the shelf with a couple of other ship models. "Because I don't want to miss dinner."

"Or _be_ dinner," Weir said, relieved that Mitchell was willing to go and check on her away team. Elizabeth could have sent another away team – and she had a lot of personnel to choose from, now – but Mitchell was the best choice to lead one, and she knew that if John and the others were in trouble, they'd have the best backup coming.

"That, too." Melony looked at McKay. "Are you coming?"

"Sure."

It wasn't like he could do anything with the new ship – the _McKay_ sounded so powerful and strong – without her there to approve of it anyways. Right?

"I'll assemble a team and meet you at the operations room in twenty minutes. Full gear."

He nodded.

"I'll meet you there."


	2. 2

Mitchell didn't have much trouble assembling her team. There were several Marines and Air Force personnel on duty just then and all of them had been trained for offworld teams. If they hadn't, then they wouldn't be on Atlantis in the first place. She hadn't worked with all of them, of course, but she'd seen enough of them in action that didn't have any trouble finding two to join her and Rodney.

Sergeant Pascal Sanders and Lieutenant Aaron Boyett were geared up and waiting when she arrived in Stargate operations. She'd stopped at her room just long enough to make sure the coffee pot had been turned off so the coffee that was in it wouldn't burn out while she was gone. Carrying a staff weapon instead of a P90, she got a few odd looks from the two Marines waiting, and from Elizabeth Weir and Rodney McKay.

"Are you expecting trouble, Colonel?" Weir asked, concerned.

A staff weapon was a fairly powerful weapon, after all, and one that wasn't used by the Atlanteans. Only Mitchell used them with any frequency – although there were several in the armory that the personnel who showed an interest in them were able to practice with – and use if they had reason.

Melony shook her head.

"Not really," she said. "It was just laying around, so I thought I'd bring it."

Of course, she also had a holster with a Beretta in it hanging from her hip and tied to her thigh with a thong. This was her primary weapon of choice.

_And if something_ does _come up, the staff weapon can be used in close quarters…_

Yep.

As far as she knew, the R'hurians were peaceful. She'd discussed them with Teyla, who had been to their planet several times. A man with a pitchfork probably wasn't much of a threat, but if you were carrying a staff weapon and he attacked you, you could easily disarm him with it. If you had a machine gun, you'd either have to drop the gun to defend yourself, or shoot him. Neither was preferable. So… just in case.

"Where's-"

The door swooshed open even as she'd started speaking, and Rodney McKay walked in, tugging at his holster and trying to get it settled on his hip. He was carrying a P90, and also a small device that was primarily used as a life sign detector. It also made a very handy tracking device, if you programmed it with who to look for.

"Sorry I'm late."

"You're not," Melony said, walking down the stairs to join Duck and Lieutenant Boyett. "I just got here."

"Good." Rodney walked down the stairs as well, frowning when he saw the staff weapon. "Expecting trouble?"

"Not really."

When she didn't elaborate, Rodney shrugged, moving over to show her the device in his hand.

"I programmed this for Colonel Sheppard, Lieutenant Ford and Teyla. If for some reason they're not in the villages, then we shouldn't have too much trouble locating them."

"If you _don't_ locate them in the village, let us know," Weir requested. That way she'd know if there was something wrong, and would be able to have backup ready in case they were needed.

Mitchell nodded.

"They _probably_ just lost track of time."

"Maybe they found another group of those farmers with all that hard alcohol," Boyett said, grinning. He'd heard all about the drunken state of Sheppard's team when they'd first visited the Light Ones' world and had run across the farmers who made a seemingly innocent drink that could knock you flat with only a couple of snorts.

Rodney's expression turned pained; he still remembered the hangover from that mission – and it hadn't been pretty.

Weir smiled, hoping that was all it was.

"Try not to break anything if you trip over them when you emerge from the gate."

Talon snorted, but Melony ignored him, and she nodded again, and then gestured for her team to get in position. Elizabeth looked over at the technician manning the dialing computer, and nodded.

An instant later the gate started to activate.

"We'll check in as soon as we know something," Mitchell said, looking over her shoulder as Boyett and Sanders headed through the gate with their guns half-raised.

"We'll leave the light on."

OOOOOOOO

Planet A-121 was a fairly nice place. It was lush and green without having so much rainfall that it was damp and muggy. A number of fair-sized rivers meandered through a large valley that held a heavy forest area on one end, and a couple of large villages on the other. Between the two villages was a slightly raised mound of earth and rocks that had been cleverly paved with an odd clay substance that hardened almost to a concrete-like finish. Sitting on top of that was the Stargate.

When Mitchell's team emerged from the Stargate, they didn't trip over Sheppard or any of his team. For that matter, they didn't trip over anyone. They did, however, find a group of people waiting for them. Seven men, all large and mostly naked (nothing new to any of the Atlanteans, since the Light Ones were frequent visitors to the city) and carrying weapons. Weapons that consisted of spears and several bows. All of which were pointing at them when they materialized.

"Colonel…"

Duck's P90 was already in position – as was Boyett's – but the thought of mowing down civilians wasn't at all appealing to either of them and they wouldn't do anything without a good reason.

"Easy, guys."

Even as she was speaking, the largest of the seven was lowering his bow, although there wasn't a hint of a smile on his face.

"You are from the city of the ancestors?"

Melony looked at Rodney, who nodded.

"Yes. Atlantis."

He looked at Mitchell. "Several of the civilizations that we've come across are aware of the existence of a great city – although many of those seem to refer to it as a legend, or as a city of the ancestors. Probably bec-"

"Yes," Melony said, interrupting Rodney, and looking at the seven men. "That's where we're from."

Now the others lowered their weapons as well, although a couple of them still looked suspicious.

Rodney frowned, and turned to Mitchell.

"This isn't normal behavior for these folks," he said softly. "From what Teyla said, they're usually very open and friendly…"

Which was exactly what Melony had been told, too. She didn't feel any friendliness at all from these folks. In fact, all she could see in their expressions was distrust.

_And fear_

Talon was watching them, too, and he was better at reading people than his host was.

"We're looking for our friends," Mitchell said. "Teyla, and those who were with her."

Now the expressions were more fear than distrust, and the first man spoke again.

"They're dead. You should leave now, before you die as well."


	3. 3

Mitchell frowned.

"Dead?"

"When?" McKay asked, immediately after her. His voice sounded sick.

"They vanished into the forest," the man said, gesturing towards wooded area off to their right, behind the now deactivated Stargate. "They have not been heard of since."

"So you don't _know_ that they're dead…" Mitchell said, feeling a surge of relief.

"They did not return."

"Which doesn't mean they're dead."

"Those who enter the forest lately are not seen alive again."

"_Lately_?" Rodney repeated.

"When did they vanish?" Mitchell asked, shifting her staff weapon into a less menacing position. "More importantly, what did they go in there for?"

The man looked at her intently for a long moment, and then made a slight gesture that might have been a shrug.

"You should speak with the council."

"I asked _you_," she replied, getting a little annoyed. "It wasn't a complicated question."

"The council will want to speak with you."

Why is it all these planets have councils?

_It's an efficient form of government,_ Talon replied. _Just go with the guy and see what they have to say – and have McKay start trying to track the away team while you're waiting_

Good plan.

Of course it is 

Melony didn't bother to answer that. Instead she nodded. It was what she would have done anyways. Let him think it was a brilliant idea.

"Fine. Take us to the council, then."

"You must relinquish your weapons."

Duck looked over at Mitchell at those words – as did Boyett. Neither of them liked the idea of relinquishing anything just then – especially since the seven villagers still had their own weapons more or less pointed at them. Melony shook her head.

"That's not an option, I'm afraid. Not until I know more about what happened to my people."

"The others were just as reluctant…" the man said, as if confused by such odd behavior. "Are you really so afraid of simple folk such as us?"

If that was meant to challenge her into handing over her guns and staff weapon, it didn't have that effect. Melony didn't have anything to prove to these folks.

"Lets just say we have a healthy respect for the weapons you have pointed at us."

The man hesitated again, but finally shrugged, and turned to one of the men with him. He said something, softly enough that they couldn't hear, and the man ran off.

"I have sent him to ask the council to speak with you without requiring you to remove your weapons."

"What kind of council are we talking about?" Rodney asked, curiously. He looked at one village and then the other. "Are you _one_ village divided into sections? Or two living close together?"

Teyla had told them that they were a fairly tight knit community, but she hadn't had much more to say about them – except that they were peaceful enough, and that they were good trading partners. While trading wasn't something that the Atlanteans really needed anymore – not with the gate to earth open to them as it was – they were always looking for new people. Besides, they were still spreading word of the Wraith defeat.

Another hesitation.

"Why don't we wait and ask the council?" Mitchell suggested, looking at Rodney. "Obviously, he's not really supposed to be chatting with us. He's probably just the doorman. We can wait to talk to those who are in charge."

McKay nodded, and pulled out his tracer device.

"I'll just put the waiting time to good use, then, shall I?"

"Yeah."

The man looked at the device suspiciously.

"What is that?"

"Tracking device," Rodney said, without even looking up from what he was doing. "We're going to use it to locate our friends."

"They are dead."

"Then they should be easy to find, shouldn't they?" Melony said, heartily tired of hearing that.

Before he could reply, the man he'd sent off came running back, stopping just shy of the armed group. The leader of the little band walked over to him and there was a quick and quiet conversation. A moment later he returned.

"The council will see you."

"Good."

Now maybe they could find out more than just 'they're dead'.

"This way."

The men led them. None walked behind them, guarding against treachery – which told Melony that they really weren't all that afraid of the newcomers.

_It's not like they have anything we'd want to steal, anyways. And they probably know it._

True.

They headed for the village to the west of the gate, which looked to be the larger of the two. As they walked, Rodney watched the tracking device, while Mitchell, Duck and Boyett watched those people around them. Villagers were coming out of the houses to see the strangers, and it felt a little like being in a parade – especially when the children started following them, filled with the same curiosity that all children seemed to share no matter where they were born.

The village itself was not unlike something Mitchell might have expected to see in any turn of the century country on earth. Some of the buildings were houses – with chimneys and porches and windows and everything – and some were businesses – although they didn't have the time to actually look inside and see what was for sale. Probably produce, and general merchandise.

"Please," the man said, as they stopped outside one of the larger buildings in the village. "If you will not relinquish your weapons, then lower them. The council will not harm you."

Mitchell nodded to Duck and Boyett, who lowered their weapons, and she tilted her staff weapon even lower than before, until it was pointing more or less directly at the ground.

The man nodded to the villager guarding the door, and he bowed and opened it, ushering the four of them in.


	4. 04

Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard shifted uncomfortably, and once more tested the leather thongs that held his hands securely tied behind his back.

"You know… we're _not_ your enemies…"

The man sitting across the fire from him stared at him with cold eyes, but as before he didn't respond.

"He probably doesn't understand us," Aiden Ford said from his position right beside Sheppard. The lieutenant, too, was trussed up – and just as tightly, Sheppard was certain.

John shook his head, not taking his gaze from the stranger.

"Nah. He understands us."

He had to.

The man ignored the stare, and started breaking up wood – presumably so that he'd have enough to last them through the upcoming night. Which wasn't a pleasant thought.

Sheppard tried again.

"Seriously. You don't have any reason to be afraid of us. We're friends."

Of course, John realized just how dumb that sounded the minute he said it. The guy obviously didn't have any reason to be afraid of them; look how easily he'd captured all three of them, knocking them out with something – probably that big gun he was wearing at his side – and neatly immobilizing them.

"You're not my friends…"

The voice was low, but not so deep, and sounded almost sinister. Sheppard was just glad to hear him speak.

"We're not your _enemies_," he repeated.

"Why are you here?"

"You brought us here."

The joke fell flat.

"We're explorers," Teyla said from the other side Sheppard. "We don't mean you any harm."

The man snorted.

"You couldn't harm me if you wanted to."

Sheppard shrugged – or tried to, anyways.

"We don't want to," he said reasonably. "We just came here to meet the people living here."

"What's the point?" The man asked them. "The Wraith are just going to wipe them out soon anyways."

"The Wraith are no more," Teyla said. "Have you not heard?"

The man gave her a look that was a mixture of scorn and pity. Sheppard noticed that while his face was cold, his eyes were very expressive.

"You believe that?"

"It's true," John told him.

"We were there," Ford added.

"It's wishful thinking," the man told them, shaking his head. "Just a story."

"When was the last culling you've heard of?" Sheppard asked.

"I've been out of the loop."

"Do you live here?" Teyla asked. The camp had a definite temporary feel to it.

"No."

"Do you have a name?" John asked, flexing his hands again, trying to loosen the ropes and get feeling at the same time.

For a long moment they were sure he wasn't going to answer. Finally though, he shrugged.

"Ronon Dex."

OOOOOOOOOO

The building tat Mitchell and the others entered was sparse considering it was a council room.

_You were expecting trumpeters and fanfare?_

A nice chandelier at least…

Talon snorted.

_They're a fairly simple-appearing people, Hot Shot. They probably don't need all those trappings_

True.

The nine people sitting in the middle of the room took her attention from Talon. There were four women and five men, and they were at a low-slung table; one that was short enough that the nine were comfortably on cushions instead of chairs. In front of the table were four other cushions – which Melony decided were meant for them. This was confirmed a moment later when the man in the center of the nine – a very large man dressed in a vividly red robe of what might have been silk – gestured towards them.

"Please, be seated."

Considering the staff weapon in her hand, it was a little difficult to sit down on the cushions – and the others weren't having much more success with their P90s – but rather than be rude and get started off on the wrong foot, they did.

"You are Colonel Mitchell?" The man asked.

"Yes."

"I am Chanin. Council Leader." He gestured to the others, naming each as he did so. "Dekar, Hanna, Mina, Suir, Ralse, Weyar, Filo, and Geale."

Melony would have had trouble remembering their names if they were as simple as Bob, Ralph and Kim. Luckily, Talon was much better at it, and he could – and would – prompt her if she needed it.

_Which you will_

Most likely.

The council was watching her expectantly, and Mitchell gestured to those she was with.

"Doctor Rodney McKay. Sergeant Sanders, and Lieutenant Boyett."

"It is an honor to meet you," Chanin said, giving a slight bow.

"Thank you." Melony didn't bow back – mainly because she would have had to move the staff weapon again – and it wasn't really in the best position to move around a lot. "We're here looking for our people. The ones that arrived here yesterday."

Chanin frowned.

"I've been told they entered the forest."

"Yes. That's what I was told, too."

"Then they are most likely dead. I am sorry."

"I'd like to make sure…" Melony said. "We'd like to go look for them."

"If you enter the forest, you will most likely die as well."

"Why?" Rodney asked. He didn't like going places where people were so certain he was going to die just by going there. "What's in there?"

Chanin shrugged.

"We are uncertain. But lately, none of our hunters have been returning. There are some who say the Wraith yet exist – and are hiding in our forests, biding their time."

_Well, that's a pleasant thought_

Yeah.


	5. 05

"You must stay out of the forest," one of the women said.

_Mina_, Talon supplied.

Mitchell shook her head.

"We have to find out what happened to our people," she said. "No matter what's hiding in your forest."

"Then you'll most likely die," Chanin said. "Four of our best hunters went in looking for a lost child and none returned – including the child."

"When was that?"

"Several days ago."

Mitchell turned to Rodney.

"Have you found them on the locator?"

He looked down at the device in his hand, and shook his head.

"Not yet."

"It couldn't really be a Wraith, could it?" Boyett asked. "They're gone, right?"

The council members looked at them, but it was McKay who answered.

"We haven't seen any trace of Wraith activity on any of the telemetry devices," he confirmed. "If it's a Wraith – or a group of Wraith – then they're not using any of the technology that we can trace them on."

"But it could be Wraith?" Duck asked.

Mitchell shrugged.

"There's always a chance that there were stragglers that escaped our culling." She and Talon had already discussed that.

The council members nodded. They, of course, had heard of the defeat of the Wraith, but they hadn't believed it was possible. And now they were hearing that they were right.

"Then you must stay away from the forest," Chanin repeated.

"If it's a Wraith, it's not going to stay in the forest…" Melony said.

_No_

"But the hunters and-"

"There's always a chance that it's something else…" she said, reasonably.

"Has anything come through your Stargate lately?" Rodney asked.

The council members looked at each other, and then to the Atlanteans.

"When the ring of the ancestors activates, we do not wait around to see what comes through. We hide the old and young."

Rodney nodded.

"Makes sense, considering that until recently the gate activating meant a possible imminent culling."

"Yes," Chanin agreed. He was glad that these people understood just how dangerous the Wraith were, and hoped they would listen to reason. That hope was dashed a moment later, when the leader of the small group stood.

"Well, Wraith or not, we need to go find our people."

The council – and the rest of Melony's team – stood as well.

"You don't understand Colonel Mitchell… it's dangerous."

"I understand," she assured him. "But we don't have a choice."

"We cannot send anyone with you. It's-"

"We'll be fine."

Hopefully.

The council members didn't look all that convinced – and really, Rodney didn't look all that certain, either.

"That is what the _others_ said when they left as well…" Chanin said.

OOOOOOOOOO

Sheppard looked around.

"Nice place…"

Dex didn't even crack a smile.

"It serves its purpose."

"Which is…?"

He didn't respond. Instead, he stood, and went over to the small lean to that was situated against large tree trunk. It was well camouflaged; the Atlanteans might not have noticed it if they'd walked passed it without the fire and small clearing to give away the fact that this was a camp. He stuck his upper body inside for just a moment, and emerged with a metal pot that looked like it'd seen better days – several years before.

"What are you going to do with us?" Sheppard asked as they watched him fill the pot with water.

"I haven't decided yet."

"You should probably let us go."

Dex looked at them.

"Why would I do that?"

"You can't afford to feed Ford," John told him reasonably.

Again the joke fell flat.

"Who said I was going to _feed_ you?"

"Release us," Teyla said, tired of being tied up. Especially when there was no reason for it.

He shook his head.

"Not until I decide what to do with you."

OOOOOOOO

The gate activated almost on schedule – much to Elizabeth Weir's relief. Grodin turned to her.

"It's Colonel Mitchell. She's sending, only."

Meaning she wasn't returning. Which would have meant that she'd found Sheppard's team. Weir nodded, feeling a stab of worry.

"Colonel Mitchell… Any luck?"

"No, Doctor Weir. Not yet."

The voice on the other side of the transmission wasn't mournful, which told Weir that they hadn't found Sheppard's team in a village of cannibals or something, so that was better than the alternative.

"Any sign at all?" Weir asked.

"The villagers say that Sheppard's team went into their forests when they arrived – after being warned away from it. And that they haven't seen them since."

"And you believe that?" she asked. There was always a chance the villagers had done something to the away team themselves, and were hiding it behind a story.

"Yeah. We're going to go look for them."

"Do you need me to send you more people?"

"Nah. We should be good."

"Be careful."

"We will."

"And check in as soon as you can."

"Yes, ma'am. Mitchell out."

The gate deactivated, and Weir looked at Grodin.

"Dial up A-231, Peter."

"The Jaffa world?"

She nodded. 231 was a deserted world that the Jaffa had decided to take as their own – since the previous inhabitants had been wiped out by the Wraith and Mitchell had decided that they needed a Jaffa base here in the Pegasus galaxy.

"Yes. I want to let Teal'c know what's happening."


	6. 06

The entire council and several of the hunters followed Mitchell and the others as they walked out of the village and towards the forest.

"You weren't always afraid of the forest, were you?" Melony asked them curiously as they walked. "I mean, your houses are made of wood, so you must have gone into it before…"

Chanin shook his head.

"The forest has long been our salvation," he said. "It provided us with animals to hunt, fresh plant life for our meals, wood for our fires and building materials whenever we needed them. No longer, though. Now it is our ruin."

"How long ago did this start happening?"

"We lost our first hunter several weeks ago, but at the time we didn't think it was anything out of the ordinary. Accidents have happened before…"

"But when we sent off a search party to find him, they came back with stories of unusual noises and glimpses of something running near them that they could not get a good look at," Mina added.

"That could certainly be a Wraith," Rodney said to Mitchell – as much as he hated the thought of one or more running free through the woods. Especially woods that he was about to enter.

"If it's a Wraith – or more than one – why is it hiding in the forest?"

"It's dangerous to be a Wraith right now," Duck said from his position at Melony's left. "Maybe it heard what happened to its buddies and is hiding out…"

"Maybe."

"But you're not convinced," Boyett said, making it a statement and not a question.

"No." Melony turned to Chanin and the others as they reached the edge of the forest.

"If we don't return, others will come after us, looking for us. Tell them what happened, please."

"Please," Chanin said. "Do not go into the forest…"

"We can't leave without knowing what happened to our people," Mitchell told him, appreciating the concern. "Hopefully we can find yours as well."

"Then I wish you luck…"

"We all do," Mina added.

The way she said it so fervently made Melony wonder if maybe one of those missing was related to her, but there was no way she could – or would – ask. Instead, she hefted the staff weapon and turned, heading into the forest with Duck and Boyett right behind her. After only an instant's hesitation, Rodney followed as well, his knuckles white on the P90 he was carrying.

OOOOOOOO

"Looks like we found out who was responsible for all the missing villagers…" Ford said, watching as Ronon Dex skinned what looked like a large rabbit. Luckily, he was on the other side of the camp, because it wasn't an operation that Ford especially wanted to watch.

Sheppard followed his gaze, shifting uncomfortably as he once more tried to loosen the ropes binding his hands.

"You think?"

"Who else?"

Teyla looked over as well, and shook her head.

"I do not know…"

"What's not to know?" Ford asked. "They said the people started coming up missing only a little while ago. It's not like this place has been lived in all that long. We're probably next."

"Well there's a cheerful thought," Sheppard said, sarcastically. "Thanks, Ford. I feel much better now."

Dex came over to them, carrying the carcass of the creature, which was now cut into smaller pieces. These he spitted on the ends of long stakes, then jammed the other ends into the dirt around the fire, leaning them in so they would cook over the heat without being in the flames.

Only then did he turn his attention once more to his prisoners.

"I didn't hurt the missing villagers."

"You know about them?" Sheppard asked.

"I've seen the search parties."

"And…?"

"And what?"

"What happened to the missing people?"

Dex shrugged.

"I'm not sure."

"But it wasn't you." This was said sarcastically. And the sarcasm was lost on him.

"No."

"Then who?" Sheppard made a show of looking around him. "I don't see a lot of other people out here in the woods, hiding in secret camps, grabbing everyone who happens by."

Ronon scowled.

"Not everyone. Just you."

"Well aren't we the lucky ones…"

"Our friends will come looking for us," Teyla said, before Sheppard could say anything else. "They will have already realized we are missing."

"I'm not worried."

"Well you should be," John said. "Her boyfriend isn't someone you want to cross."

Dex didn't reply to that, although he did give Teyla a quick glance. A moment later he turned his attention back to the meal he was preparing, and they knew that the conversation was over. At least for the time being.

OOOOOOOOO

"Are you sure it's wise to be walking around here with the sun setting…?" McKay asked. They were only about a half-mile into the forest, but it was already so thickly overgrown that the waning sunlight was having trouble filtering down through the canopy.

"I'm certainly not going to wait until morning," Mitchell said. Who knew what could happen to Sheppard's team by then? "Any luck with that locator?"

Rodney looked down.

"There are a lot of life forms here…" he said. "Mostly animals, of course – hopefully herbivores – and it's having a difficult time sorting through them."

"So much for using Ancient technology…" Duck said.

"It's better than wandering around randomly, Sergeant," Rodney snapped. He was frustrated because the device wasn't working as well as it should have been. And worried about the others – although he was trying to hide it. "Something is interfering with the sensor, I think."

"Like what?"

"No clue. _Something_."

"Let's keep our eyes open," Melony said, interrupting. Mainly because she couldn't hear anything over the sound of the two of them talking, and she was trying to listen for anything that might be sneaking up on them. "I don't want to be here any longer than necessary."

"We should be able to handle any Wraith that might show up," Boyett said. His sidearm was a zat, as was Duck's. They were proven Wraith killers.

"I'm not worried about Wraith," Mitchell said, looking around. "Wraith are a known equation."

Rodney nodded his agreement. As awful as the Wraith were – and he still wasn't convinced that there were any out here – they were at least an enemy they'd seen before, and knew they could kill. Lord only knew what they might run into, though, and sometimes the unknown was a lot worse than the known.

He looked down at the device once more, and pointed to the right.

"Let's try that way."


	7. 07

Dark came a lot faster than they'd hoped. The first time Duck went down, tripping over a tree root that was more or less hidden in the fading light Melony called for a stop.

"We're going to have to call it for the night," she told the others.

"It's only been an hour…" Rodney protested.

"You want to fall off a cliff or something in the dark?"

"Well… no… but…"

He didn't really want to hang out in one place too long in a forest with a reputation for losing people, either.

"We'll start looking again as soon as we can see," Mitchell said, dropping her pack in a soft-looking patch of grass. "Set up a perimeter," she told Boyett and Duck. "McKay and I will get a fire started."

The two nodded, and moved out with their flashlights shining brightly, checking the small area that would be their camp and making sure it was secure – and free of any kind of wildlife that might make their night more miserable. This also included looking up into the trees above them – since Boyett had had a large boa constrictor drop down on him once in Central America, and had never forgotten that particular lesson.

"Are you sure we want a fire?" Rodney asked as they cleared a small area and lined it with rocks.

"It'll let the others know where we are if they're close by."

"Or it'll let anything else know…"

"We'll have watches."

Oh, and wasn't that much better? Like he _wanted_ to stand in the dark by the signal fire and wait for God only knew what to come after him – using the fire itself as a handy source of light to see by.

_He doesn't look impressed_

You noticed.

Talon gave a purely mental snort of amusement, but didn't say anything else, and Melony lit the pile of tender that she'd placed in the center of the newly made fire pit, ignoring Rodney's pained look.

"The area's clear, Colonel."

Duck and Boyett had returned from their look around, startling Rodney, who hadn't been paying attention to them because he'd been too busy complaining about the fire.

"Good. You and McKay get something to eat and get some sleep. The sergeant and I will take the first watch."

"Yes, ma'am."

Rodney looked like he was going to say something, but he didn't. Instead, he pulled a couple of MREs out of his pack and he and Boyett started making themselves dinner.

Mitchell moved away from the fire, unwilling to lose her night vision in the light. Of course, she had Talon, which was an advantage, but she liked having every advantage she could when in an unfriendly place. And with one away team already missing, this place was unfriendly as far as she was concerned.

When Duck joined her for orders, she hefted the staff weapon once more. It wasn't going to be a lot of help in close quarters for firepower, but it was a great weapon for hand-to-hand combat, and she was an expert with it.

"We'll patrol together," Melony said. "Just to make sure nothing sneaks up on one of us without the other knowing."

"Sounds good, ma'am."

He checked the action of his P90, and then made sure the zat in his holster was in a position where it would be easily accessible. His actions were calm and cool, and she approved completely. They were ready for anything that might come, and he wasn't worried.

OOOOOOOO

"That's a little better… thanks."

Dex scowled over the fire at Sheppard, who was rubbing his wrists. They were still tied tightly together, but now they weren't behind his back. One by one, Ronon had untied each of them and had tied them in a slightly more comfortable position, with their hands in front of them. Now, however, their feet were tied as well (at the ankles) and if any of them had had any idea that the new position was going to make it easier to escape their captor, they were quickly disabused of that notion by the new bonds. The knots were complicated, and the position was awkward. Even if they managed to untie themselves, there was no way they'd be able to get out of there before Dex realized what was going on.

"I didn't do it for you."

"Why did you do it, then?" Teyla asked, still trying to figure out the man who was holding them. He seemed so distant and hard, but there was something in his eyes that told her there was much more going on than what they were seeing.

"Because I'm not going to feed you myself."

"Then we _are_ going to eat?" Sheppard said. "That's nice."

Actually, they'd been watching that rabbit or whatever it was as it had cooked, and it was looking better and better the longer they watched. And it smelled delicious.

Dex scowled again, but didn't deny it. Instead, he pulled each of the sticks of meat from the dirt they'd been poked into and handed one to each of the Atlanteans, saving the last two for himself. Taking his, he sat down again and started eating, his dark eyes watching them and the darkness around them equally cautiously. Whatever he was, it was obvious that he wasn't worried about being out in the forest alone.

"Why don't you tell us what you're going to do with us?" Sheppard said, holding his stick of meat, but not eating.

"Because I haven't decided yet."

"There's no reason to keep us."

"I don't know… you might be _useful_."

"Useful how?"

"How do you know the Wraith are gone?"

"We were there. We _saw_ it."

"The story is that there was a large explosion. You were _there_?" He didn't sound as if he believed them, and Sheppard realized why.

"We weren't on the _planet_, no. Otherwise we'd have been blown up, too. But we were in on the ambush, and the Wraith _are_ gone."

"You're so certain?"

"What do _you_ care?" Sheppard asked, changing the tone of questioning so he was the one asking. "You're the only one here. Obviously the Wraith aren't going to come looking for you – even if they are still around."

"Don't be so sure about that, Sheppard."


	8. 08

They were only an hour and a half into their watch when a snapping twig coming from the direction of the fire gave them notice that someone was coming. Neither Mitchell or Boyett whirled at the noise, knowing that the area was secure and there was no way anything could be sneaking up on them from the campfire – which meant that it had to be one of their own party – but they did both turn to see who was up.

Rodney walked up, munching on a package of crackers.

"It's just me."

At least he knew enough not to try and come up on them silently.

_As if he could_, Talon said with only a trace of his usual mockery. The symbiote actually _liked_ McKay – especially since Rodney had been so much help to them. Although he definitely didn't need the astrophysicist to know that.

"What's up?" Boyett asked.

"Nothing."

"It's kind of late for an evening stroll," Melony said.

McKay shrugged; affecting a nonchalance that she knew wasn't genuine. She could see his expression better than he probably thought, and she knew he was nervous. Not that she really blamed him. After all, something had managed to scare the villagers away from the forest, and they'd been coming in here as long as any of them could remember.

"Can't sleep," he said, shoving the last of the crackers in his mouth.

"Why don't you relieve the Lieutenant, then?"

No sense in three of them being on watch – and Rodney could have a chance to have a look around and see just how quiet it was. Which might help him get to sleep later. The last thing they needed was for him to be up all night and grumpy in the morning.

There was the briefest flash of a frown at the suggestion, but then McKay obviously decided that it wasn't such a bad idea after all.

"Why not?"

Melony looked at Boyett.

"Get some sleep, Lieutenant. I'll wake you when I need relieved."

"Yes, ma'am."

Which would probably not happen, since Melony didn't need as much sleep as the others thanks to Talon. She could catch up on it when she had Sheppard and the others back and had returned to Atlantis.

_You just don't like sleeping in the dirt_

And you _do_?

_Not especially_

She hid her smile as she watched Boyett head back to the fire, where he'd grab a bite to eat and then get some sleep.

"We're just walking the perimeter," she told McKay.

"_Together_, though, right?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Not that I'm _nervous_ or anything," he added quickly. "It's just… safety in numbers and all that."

"I understand," Mitchell said, making sure to keep a straight face.

"Good."

Just as they turned to start walking, there was a high pitched cry – like a scream – from somewhere off in the distance.

OOOOOOOOO

"You have not heard from Colonel Mitchell since she led another team to the planet?"

Weir shook her head, although she knew that Teal'c wouldn't be able to see it since they were speaking on the radios through the activated Stargate.

"No. It's only been a few hours, tough, and she's not actually due to check in for another twelve. I just wanted to let you know what was going on."

"Are you requesting assistance, Doctor Weir?" Teal'c asked. She could hear the concern in the voice of Melony's First Prime – of course, he had stake in more than just Melony being missing just then – but she also knew that the Jaffa were in the middle of a very important project, and knew that Teal'c was needed where he was. Which was why he hadn't gone with Sheppard's team in the first place. If she asked him, he'd drop everything and come to her aid, however, and Weir knew it.

"No. Not yet. I was just letting you know what was happening."

She wasn't sure that anything had gone wrong yet, and didn't think Mitchell would appreciate her pulling Teal'c from the relocation project just to have him go check on her and her team.

"Thank you, Doctor. If Colonel Mitchell does not check in on time, please notify me."

"I will."

Which meant that if she thought she needed him, he'd come. It was a heady thought to know that you had the might of an entire race (well, most of them, anyways) of fierce warriors at your beck and call. And a responsibility as well.

"Teal'c out."

The transmission ended and the gate shut down, and Weir turned to the man standing beside her.

"I'm sure they're fine."

Carson Beckett didn't look all that sure, but he nodded.

"Aye. I'm sure they are."

Just the same, he couldn't help but wish that Teal'c had offered to come and go take a look for himself. With about a hundred Jaffa at his side.

"Come on, Carson," Weir said, knowing he'd just go someplace and brood. "Let's go get some coffee."

OOOOOOOOOO

Colonel Sheppard jerked himself upright – not easy to do considering how tightly tied he was – and looked around, automatically checking to make sure his team was there, and then looking off into the darkness.

"What the hell was that?"

"I do not know," Teyla said, looking startled in the light of the fire. "It did not sound quite human."

If Teyla looked startled, Ford looked downright pale – which was quite a feat for him.

"It didn't sound at all human."

"It is what is killing the villagers…"

The calm voice came from the darkness, and Ronon Dex appeared from out of nowhere.

"How do you know that?" Sheppard asked.

"It's not the only scream I've heard," he answered, his eyes plainly telling them that the other screams definitely _were_ human.

"What is it?" asked Teyla.

"I don't know. I've only seen shadows."

"Then-"

"Just stay close to the fire," Dex interrupted. "It's never come close to the fire."

He vanished once more into the darkness, leaving Sheppard and his team staring off the direction he'd gone.


	9. 09

"_'Just stay close to the fire'_?" Ford repeated, incredulously. "Where the hell _else_ are we going to go?"

It wasn't like they weren't tied up, after all.

"Relax, Ford," Sheppard said, trying to sound more confident than he felt.

"We're tied up."

"I know."

"How am I supposed to _relax_?"

"Getting upset isn't going to help us come up with any way of getting loose."

"And sitting here-"

"I am certain an opportunity will present itself eventually," Teyla said, cutting off the nervous argument. "We will just have to wait for it."

Ford sighed, and squirmed again, trying to loosen up the ropes on his wrists – to no avail – and then glared back the way Dex had vanished.

"He could have at least untied us…"

Yeah, Sheppard couldn't help but agree with that, since he'd have appreciated that as well. And his _weapons_ back, too. That would have been nice.

"Are we sure this guy's wrong?" John asked, finally, looking at Teyla. "Maybe there _is_ a Wraith around here?"

She shook her head.

"There are no Wraith. I would have known."

Good point. She could sense them, after all.

"Well that doesn't mean it's not something equally bad," Ford said, trying to get loose once more.

"What could be as bad as the Wraith?" Teyla asked.

OOOOOOOO

It had to be the most uncomfortable night any of them had spent in quite a while. Of course, they were all just a little spoiled by living in Atlantis where they actually had beds, and weren't outside under the stars and trees, but still…

After that initial cry – or scream or whatever it was, depending on who was mentioning it – they didn't hear another sound. Which was odd enough, since the forest before then had been alive with the normal little sounds that every forest makes. Small creatures going from here or there hunting for a nocturnal dinner, or settling in for the night with sleepy noises. Things like that. Now there wasn't anything. As if the whole forest was holding its breath trying not to be seen or heard by whatever was out there.

It was spooky, and hardly remarkable that none of the away team had any sleep that night. They were all relieved to see the sun coming up and the sky getting lighter – which translated into the sky getting lighter, too. Once they could see all around them without the need of the fire, they downed a quick breakfast and doused the fire. A little fuzzy-headed since they hadn't had all that much sleep the night before – except Melony who had Talon's help keeping her fresh – they were all glad to get moving. None of them liked to present themselves as a stationary target any longer than necessary, after all.

Melony looked at Rodney, who pulled his locator device out of his pocket and looked down at it.

"Well?"

"There's something interfering with it still."

"Hit it a couple of times," Duck suggested.

Rodney scowled.

"Yes. We'll beat up the technology and that will make it work."

The sarcasm made Duck scowl as well.

"It works with my TV."

"This isn't your TV."

"What about locating whatever it is that's interfering?" Mitchell asked, more to cut off the argument than because she thought there was any real hope of that. McKay looked at her.

"What?"

She shrugged.

"It's a fairly un-advanced planet, right? How many things can be interfering with our signal? Maybe if we find that, we'll find Sheppard and the others…"

"Or maybe we'll find a naturally occurring electromagnetic field," Rodney countered.

"You want to stand around here waiting for that whatever it was to come find us?"

He didn't even need to answer that, of course. Instead, he looked down at the device once more.

"I suppose I could reconfigure it to search for the disturbance…"

"Will it take long?" Boyett asked. He didn't want to stand around any longer than necessary, either.

"Only a minute," Rodney said, already pushing buttons and completely engrossed in what he was doing.

Not surprisingly, it didn't even take that long. The guy _was_ a genius, after all. The device emitted a soft whirring noise for just a moment, and then Rodney gave it a whack on the side, which caused the whirring to stop.

"This way," McKay said, looking to their left, and stepping off that direction.

Duck scowled.

"I told him to hit it in the first place…"

Melony smiled as she passed him, gesturing for him and Boyett to take rear while she walked point with McKay.

"Let it pass, Sergeant…"

It never did any good to try and win an argument with McKay anyways. The sergeant should have already figured that out.

OOOOOO

"How much further?"

"It's not far."

"That's not what I asked."

"I don't know, Colonel. There's no way to judge the distance, really…"

"You just _said_ it wasn't far," Duck said, crossly.

"That was to get you to shut up." McKay snapped. And then he looked at Melony, quickly. "Not _you_. Just them."

She suppressed the urge to sigh. They hadn't been walking all that long, but they were all a little irritable.

_Send them to bed early tonight_, Talon suggested, amused.

She ignored that.

"Rodney…"

"The signal isn't all that strong to begin with, Colonel," Rodney said, looking down at the device in his hand. "The longer I look at it, the more I think it isn't natural, and the- we're _really_ close to it… I just don't _know_…"

He trailed off, realizing that Mitchell wasn't paying attention to him any longer. Her attention had been caught by something in a tree ahead of them. Something that didn't belong. As he followed her gaze, he frowned.

"What's that…?"

She didn't answer. Instead, walking closer to the tree in question and looking up into it.

"Oh, _God_…" Boyett said, taking a step back. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Looks like it…" Melony answered, feeling just a little nauseous.

Stuck in the crotch between two sturdy branches of the tree above them was what was left of a Wraith. Several pieces of it were gone, ripped away from the rest of it, and its middle section was completely ripped apart. Mitchell had a feeling that all that was holding it together were the remains of its clothing. It was definitely dead, and not a threat to them, but that didn't make them feel any better.

"Ugh…" Duck said, stepping closer. "What could do that to a _Wraith_?"


	10. 10

"You know, _I'm_ pretty tired of being tied up."

They'd spent a miserable night by the fire, hardly sleeping, and then only in light catnaps that would be interrupted with the slightest noise. Their captor came and went at irregular intervals, apparently keeping an eye on things around the camp, but who knew really, and that was just as annoying and unnerving. Even though they didn't hear any more screams or screeches or whatever they were, it wasn't fun waiting for the next one to come, and they were all fairly edgy by the time the sun came up.

Dex was sitting on the other side of the fire pit, sharpening a wicked looking knife. Aside from looking up at the sound of his voice, however, the man didn't reply, and Sheppard scowled.

"Our friends are going to come looking for us if we don't check in."

"They won't find you."

"We're more worried about that whatever it is out there finding _them_," Ford said, glowering. He wasn't happy about being a captive, and was just as tired of being tied up as the Colonel was.

"If they are wise, they'll stay out of the forest."

"Well they're not _going_ to stay out," Sheppard said. "So why don't you let us go so we can get back to the village and let everyone know we're safe…"

"I can't do that."

"Why not?" Teyla asked. Of the three of them she was the most calm – and had been most of the time they'd spent there.

Dex looked like he was going to say something, hesitated, and then shrugged.

"I don't want the villagers to know about me."

"I don't think the villagers care if you're hanging out in their forest," Sheppard told him sarcastically. "It's not like _they're_ using it right now."

"That's not the problem."

"Let me guess…" John said, pretending to think hard. "You're in love with someone's wife, having an affair or something, and they found out, and now you're on the run from the crazed villagers…"

"No."

"Then let us go."

"No."

"You can't keep us forever."

"People will come looking for us," Teyla said, her dark eyes flashing with annoyance. You will not be able to hide from them all…"

The look Dex gave her was completely unreadable, although there was just a hint of pain and loss in his features.

"I've been hiding a long time," he said, standing up. "I'm very good at it."

With the freshly sharpened knife in his hand, he headed out of the small clearing.

"Where are you going?" Sheppard called after him, exasperated.

Ronon Dex didn't even turn around. A moment later he had vanished into the forest without a sound.

"That guy gives me the creeps," Ford said, staring the way he'd gone.

"He's spooky all right," Sheppard agreed.

"There is something odd about him," Teyla said, also looking that direction, although her expression was puzzled, as if she were trying to solve a riddle.

"_Something_?" Sheppard repeated. "I'd say a lot more than just something. A whole lot of _somethings_, maybe."

"I would say there is more to Ronon Dex than he is allowing us to see," she said, but she didn't explain any further, instead once more trying to loosen the bindings on her hands.

Sheppard just snorted. He'd already seen more of the guy than he cared to.

OOOOOOOOOO

"What could do that to a Wraith…?"

The four of them had been looking at the remains in the tree for several long minutes, now. Mostly without speaking until Rodney had spoken up just then.

Melony shrugged, feeling just a little sickened by the gruesome sight. It was one thing to kill a Wraith, but to rip it up like this one had been, insides literally outside now, and pieces barely attached to a body that was barely in one piece was another thing entirely.

"I don't have a clue…"

"Does Talon?" Rodney asked.

Of course, the symbiote didn't know much more about the Wraith than McKay did – he'd thought they were a story to scare children, after all.

_Not a thing_, Talon said before Mitchell could ask.

"It looks like an animal killed it," Duck said, his face pale as he looked up the tree, too.

"Animals don't kill Wraith," McKay protested.

"I'm just _saying_," Duck said, shrugging. "It looks a lot like what's left of those deer that get chased down in those documentaries on the Discovery Channel."

"He's got a point," Mitchell agreed. "It does-"

"So something tracked down a Wraith and _ate_ it?" McKay asked sarcastically.

"I thought all the Wraith were _dead_," Boyett said, looking over at Mitchell.

"We got the majority of them," she said, shrugging. "But there's always the chance that some individuals – maybe even some very small groups or squads of them were on assignment in other places and weren't caught up in our ambush."

"The Wraith take advantage of overwhelming numbers to wreak their havoc on populations," McKay said, adding to the conversation. He and Mitchell – and several of the others – had already had this conversation. "The small few that might have escaped our culling won't be much of a threat, really…"

"Not that we should take them lightly," Melony cautioned. "They're still dangerous…"

"_This_ one isn't," Duck said, looking around the base of the tree to see if he could find any kind of tracks or something.

There was a soft beep from the tracking device in Rodney's hand, drawing his attention from the conversation. He looked at the device, and then at the carnage in the tree, and then down at the device once more.

"This can't be right…"

"What?"

"Whatever is interfering with our locator device is coming from the… um… tree…"

"The tree or the _Wraith_?" Boyett asked.

"The Wraith," Rodney said, looking at the tree once more. "We need to uh… get… it… down… and see what's going on…"

"Get it down?"

"Bring it out of the tree…"

Oh, yeah. That wasn't something any of them wanted to do. Or even consider.


	11. 11

"So we have to pull the Wraith down?" Boyett asked, looking just about as green as Mitchell had ever seen a Marine looking.

McKay shrugged.

"It's that, or check it out while it's in the tree."

"So someone needs to climb up and pull it down," Mitchell said.

"Not me," McKay said. "I'm a _Physicist_ not a-"

"Don't worry, Rodney," Melony interrupted. "We don't want you to climb up there."

He cut short his explanation, surprised – and definitely relieved.

"Oh. Well, that's good. Not that I'm _afraid_ to climb up there or anything. I mean, it's obviously _dead_ and all and there's not much it could do to-"

"We need you on the ground," Mitchell interrupted.

Besides, they couldn't risk him falling on his head.

"Oh."

Melony turned to Boyett.

"Lieutenant?"

Rank hath its privilege and all that, right?

Boyett nodded.

"Yes, Ma'am." He turned to Duck. "Sergeant."

Sanders made a face, but he nodded.

"Yes, sir."

Rank hath its privilege, after all, and he was low man on the totem pole.

Slipping off the sling that held his P90 in place, Duck handed it to Boyett, and then loosened his knife in its sheath. Just in case.

Heading for the tree, Melony thought she heard him mutter something about having a red shirt on, and she followed him, stopping just shy of the tree.

"Just push it out of the crook of the branch, Sergeant," she ordered. "And don't come in contact with any bare flesh if you can avoid it."

"Yes, ma'am."

Like he had any intention of touching the damned thing if he could avoid it?

"And don't drop it on me."

He snorted. Yeah, that would earn him the shit duties pretty much the rest of his life, huh?

"No, ma'am."

She handed his P90 to Boyett, who had walked over as well, and then made a stirrup out of her hands, offering Duck a boost, which he accepted. Putting his foot into her hands, he reached for the closest of the branches as she pushed him upwards, and he pulled himself up into the tree, avoiding the branches that held the Wraith and angling himself so he came over above it. He definitely didn't want to be below it – and Mitchell understood completely.

"Ugh…"

"You okay?"

"It reeks."

Since they could all smell it just fine, they had no doubt.

"Can you get it out?" Boyett called up.

"Yes, sir. Just give me a second."

Duck braced himself in the branch just above the Wraith and then looked down.

"Watch out."

With that warning, he used his foot to push the Wraith out of the tree that was holding it. At least, the top half of the Wraith fell out of the tree. The head and upper torso of the Wraith, held together by the odd armor that they wore, fell with a sickening noise to the forest floor below. From hips down, however, the rest of it was still lodged tightly in the branches.

"Ugh…"

"Okay, I'm going to go over there and throw up," Rodney said, taking a step back.

Melony understood exactly how he felt. She was feeling pretty green herself. With a boost from Talon, though, she was able to look up at Duck, who was definitely green, now.

"Sergeant, try to push the rest of it out. We might need that half."

Duck swallowed visibly and nodded. He was a Marine, and he certainly wasn't going to toss his cookies in front of a scientist. No matter how much he felt like doing just that.

"Yes, ma'am."

It took a bit of work, but he did manage to kick the rest of the Wraith out of the tree as well, and it fell on top of the torso and head.

"Gah…"

Boyett pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and covered his mouth and nose at the stench – something that McKay had already done.

"All right, Rodney," Melony said, looking at him.

"What?"

"Find out what's beeping…"

"You mean touch it?"

"I mean, you're the one who said we had to get it down – and we did. Now figure out what's interfering with your locator device. I want to find Colonel Sheppard as soon as possible."

If something – or someone – was running around these woods capable of doing this to a Wraith, she wanted to find it before it found the missing away team.

"But…"

Rodney was looking at the pile of torn flesh and innards with definite hesitation.

"Just do it," Mitchell said, reaching down and grabbing a piece of pant leg and pulling the legs and hips of the Wraith off the main section of torso. They could all hear a soft beeping coming from somewhere in there.

"Fine…"

Keeping his head as far back as he could, and reaching out with one hand – of which he had two fingers extended – McKay reached for the jacket of the Wraith and tugged on it. Not surprisingly, nothing moved.

"I'll do it," Boyett said, stepping over and grabbing the jacket. He'd put on a pair of gloves, and was able to get a much better grip than McKay had. With a hard tug, the jacket came free, leaving a trail of slimy innards.

"Ick."

Boyett held up the jacket, and something fell out, landing softly in a pile of Wraith goo. Something that was beeping softly.

"There," McKay said, unnecessarily. He was looking at the device he was holding in his hand, and pointedly _not_ looking at the Wraith pieces. "That's what's doing it."

Mitchell nodded to Boyett, who reached for the device, and Melony looked up into the tree.

"Come on down, Sergeant."

They didn't need him up there, anymore.

"With pleasure."

He didn't even have a chance to do more than put his foot down in the crook of the branches that had held the Wraith before he slipped on blood and who knew what else, lost his footing and reached for another branch. Far too late to do any good.

"Shit!"

With that muffled curse, Duck fell out of the tree, bouncing off his commanding officer and knocking both of them into the pile of Wraith pieces.


	12. 12

"Gah…"

Duck scrambled off the pile, gave a pained yelp and went back to the ground, holding his leg, and covered with Wraith goo.

Mitchell got up and walked over to him, meeting Boyett there at the same time – although Rodney had taken several steps backward and looked like he was going to throw up at any minute.

"You all right?" Melony asked, concerned.

The sergeant shook his head, looking up at her.

"I think I broke it."

Mitchell looked at Boyett, who was already checking it out, trying very hard to avoid the goo on Duck's pant leg.

"Lieutenant?"

"It's broken, ma'am."

"Shit."

"I'm sorry, Colonel," Duck said, sounding about as miserable as he looked. Whether he was apologizing for getting hurt, or for dumping her into the Wraith goo, Melony wasn't sure.

"Don't be, Sergeant."

She wouldn't hold either against him, of course, but it _did_ change things a bit.

"Lieutenant? Can you get him back to the gate alone? _Before_ dark?"

Since that gave him all day, Boyett nodded.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Get him back to Atlantis, then," Mitchell said. "McKay and I will keep looking for the away team."

Rodney frowned.

"Shouldn't we go with them? To make sure they get back, I mean?"

"We need to find Sheppard," Melony said, looking at the mangled Wraith. "Whatever killed this guy might have found them – or might be looking for them, too – and I'm not going to leave without them. Figure out what it is that's interfering with your locator, and then we'll be able to track them down."

He hesitated, looking at the mangled Wraith once more, but then nodded.

"Okay."

"I'll get a couple of splint sticks."

Boyett nodded, already reaching for his first aid kit.

OOOOOOO

Setting the broken leg wasn't too hard (not that Duck enjoyed it) and splinting it afterward only took a few minutes. Mitchell and Boyett were both well trained in first aid, after all, and Duck was a good patient.

"I _found_ it."

Melony looked over at Rodney, who was holding up a small device that was beeping lightly in his hand.

"Found what?" Boyett asked.

"What's blocking my signal."

"Yeah?" Even Duck was looking. "What is it?"

"Ironically enough, it looks like some kind of tracking device."

"Really?"

Mitchell came over and looked at it.

"Yeah."

"What is it tracking?"

McKay shrugged.

"I'm not certain."

"The away team, maybe?" Boyett asked. "Maybe the Wraith was tracking _them_?"

"Maybe."

McKay shook his head.

"No. That's the dumbest thing I've heard in a long time. The Wraith don't need tracking devices to find people – they have other ways. And why would they be looking for one team when there is an entire village – _two_ villages to be exact – of people just outside the gate to feed on? Not to mention, the-"

"Okay, McKay," Mitchell interrupted. "We get it. He wasn't tracking the away team."

"So what _was_ he tracking?" Duck asked.

McKay shrugged, looking at the mangled Wraith.

"I'm more concerned about what found _him_."

"Are you sure you don't want to come back with us, Colonel?" Boyett asked, uncertainly. "We can bring back more people and have some backup…"

Melony shook her head.

"Get the Sergeant back to the gate, Lieutenant. Then get back here with help."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"And bring me a clean uniform when you get back."

Boyett grinned, despite his concerns. Being covered in Wraith goo wasn't really the nicest thing in the world, was it?

"Yes, Ma'am."

Melony turned to Rodney, who had been fiddling with the tracking devices while at the same time listening in on the conversation.

"Can you make that thing stop interfering with our tracking device?"

"I already have," Rodney said. "And I've managed to keep both of them active at the same time simply by switching the frequency of the Wraith device."

"So we can track whatever it was the Wraith was tracking?"

"Yes."

Melony turned to Boyett, who was helping Duck to his feet and draping the Sergeant's arm over his shoulder.

"You got him, Lieutenant?"

"I've got him."

"You can make it back okay?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Get going, then."

She and Rodney stood side by side, watching as the two headed back the way they'd come.

"Are you sure that was a good idea?" Rodney asked. "What if they run into something?"

"They're both armed," Melony pointed out.

"But against a Wraith…?"

"You think there's more Wraith?"

"I don't know," Rodney admitted. "I'll tell you something, though…" he said, looking down at the Wraith device in his hand. "This guy here probably _was_ tracking the away team."

"Why do you say that?"

"Both devices are pointing to the same area. We're tracking the away team – and so was the Wraith. If there are more of them, then chances are they're looking for them as well."

_Why wouldn't he have said something before?_

And risk being wrong in front of Boyett and Duck?

_Good point._

Melony reached down and picked up her staff weapon and pack.

"Then we'd better get there before they do."


	13. 13

The trees closed in a little more around them the deeper they moved into the forest – or maybe it just felt that way because Rodney was walking fairly close to her, constantly looking around and constantly looking down at the devices in his hands. His P90 was slung over his shoulder so he could hold both devices, but he was such a lousy shot with it anyways that Melony didn't figure there was any harm in that. His sidearm was loose in its holster, so he'd be able to drop one of the devices to grab it if something happened.

"Are we getting close?" She asked.

"I think so. Do you feel any Wraith?"

Mitchell frowned.

"I don't feel them, remember? _Teyla_ does."

"Sorry. I knew that."

_Should you remind him that you're the one that the Wraith are attracted to because of me?_

I don't think so, Melony answered, concealing a smile at the question. Rodney was obviously nervous – and rightfully so – or he'd never have needed to ask. And he probably already was well aware that the Wraith – if there were any close by – were going to be gunning (figuratively speaking) for her because of her symbiote.

"You're sure we're going in the right direction?" she asked, looking around. The day was still bright, with sunlight filtering down through the canopy of leaves, but the forest itself seemed quiet and dark.

"These are both telling me the same direction," he told her, looking around as well. "This _really_ is a quiet forest, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

Which might be normal, and might be a sign of things creeping around in the trees watching them.

_Pleasant thought_

I know.

OOOOOOOO

Breakfast was more of the cooked meat that they'd had for dinner the night before, followed by a lot of sitting around the now dying fire. Dex didn't seem to think they needed a fire to protect them in the daylight, because he wasn't doing much to keep it going.

He also wasn't around camp all that much, going in and out of their view at regular intervals. Which hadn't gone unnoticed by Sheppard and the others – especially since they didn't have anything else to do beside watch what was going on around them.

"Does _he_ look nervous to anyone else?" Sheppard asked, after Ronon disappeared for the fourth time that morning.

Ford nodded.

"Either that or he's waiting for something. Or _someone_."

"Someone he's not looking forward to meeting," John said.

"Or perhaps someone he's avoiding?" Teyla said.

Both men looked at her.

"What?"

She shrugged; casting a glance the direction they'd last seen Dex go.

"When I was a child, a man came to our village. He had the same mannerisms that Ronon Dex is portraying. It turned out; he had a bounty on his head, and was simply looking for a place to hide."

Neither of them asked her how she found out about the bounty, but they both frowned.

"You think he's _running_ from someone?" Ford asked.

"Why not?"

"He's not really the running _type_, is he?" Sheppard asked. "I mean… look at him. He's pretty big."

"And tough," Ford added.

"So was the man who came through our village."

That made both of them stop and think, because yeah, they both knew there were worse things – and people – out there than Ronon Dex.

OOOOOOOOOOO

"We're getting really close," Rodney said, after less than an hour of walking. The astrophysicist actually stopped and looked down at the Wraith device in his hand, holding it up and pointing it the direction they'd been heading.

"To the away team or to the thing that the Wraith was tracking?" Melony asked, hefting the staff weapon.

"They're not together right now."

"What?"

"Whoever or whatever the Wraith was hunting is alternating between the away team and hanging out in the forest alone."

"Why?"

Rodney shrugged, but bit back the sarcastic comment he was going to make. Melony wasn't in the mood for his less than witty comments, and he knew it. Being covered in smelly Wraith parts can do that to a person.

"I'm not sure. Maybe he's looking for something, or doing something. Or stalking _them_." He looked down at the device once more, comparing the two trackers. "He's not with them _now_…"

"_He_?"

"Or _she_, or _it,"_ McKay acknowledged. "Whatever the Wraith was tracking…"

"Let's just hope it wasn't the same thing that killed that Wraith in the first place."

"Yeah."

Because the last thing Rodney wanted to stalk was something that could rip a Wraith up like that. Especially something that apparently _ate_ pieces of it, and probably was going to come back and have another go at it, since it'd put the Wraith in a tree for later.

"Which do we go for?" He asked, looking down at the devices again and then at her. "The away team or the whatever it is?"

"The away team," Melony said.

He pointed ahead, and put the other device in his pocket so he could hold his P90 – something that made him feel a little better about being out in the silent forest practically alone.

"That way."

"How far?"

"I'm not positive. A couple of miles, no more than that."

"Are they moving?"

He looked down at his Ancient's device, and shook his head, looking up at her with worried eyes.

"I don't think they've moved at all."


	14. 14

Rodney McKay _wasn't_ a military man. He'd done some away missions with the military guys and gals and yes, he'd had a little training in the use of weapons and even some other kinds of explosives, but if you'd have asked him, he'd have said every time that he was a _scientist_ and nothing more. This normally wasn't much of a problem, because he was usually teamed with several others – who _were_ military, or who were at least better trained in the ways of away missions than he was.

When they'd left Atlantis, it wasn't a disadvantage, because he'd been with Boyett and Sanders – both well seasoned soldiers – as well as Mitchell, who was as good as they came – especially with the addition of Talon. Now, however, it was just him and Mitchell, and Melony was faced with the responsibility of guarding their rear _and_ point from an unknown at the same time – as well as keeping an eye on McKay – and it was enough of a chore that she wasn't able to keep track of everything that was going on. Which left Rodney free to make a mistake that he might not have made ordinarily – or which might not have been allowed to happen had there been more trained personnel around to keep an eye on him.

While intently watching the tracking device that was locating the away team for him, McKay had put the other device in his pocket so he wouldn't have both hands in use. The only problem with that was that this kept him and Colonel Mitchell from being able to keep an eye on what was happening with the creature – _or person or whatever it was_ – that the Wraith had been tracking. A mistake Melony never would have made – and one that Boyett and Duck probably wouldn't have made, either.

When the ambush came, consequently, it came out of nowhere and with almost no warning.

A cracking twig – nothing much, just incredibly out of place in the silence of the forest– was all that warned Talon. Without asking permission – since in this sort of instance he knew he didn't have to – he took control of Melony's body, diving to the ground and bringing the staff weapon up at the same time to avoid landing on it.

"Look out!"

Even as he yelled the warning to McKay, a bolt of energy shot over the area that Mitchell had been standing in only an instant before, and was immediately followed by another bolt that was aimed at Rodney. Rodney didn't have a chance to do more than turn his head. The bolt slammed into him, knocking him back and sending the tracking device in his hand flying when he landed heavily on the forest floor.

Talon brought the staff weapon to bear, his own reflexes even better than Melony's, and fired as soon as he had a target. There was a yelp of pain and a very large gun of some sort rattled as it fell from a suddenly nerveless hand. Rolling Mitchell to her feet, Talon whirled on their assailant, ready to press the advantage he'd made, staff weapon ready for another shot. And found himself facing another weapon – this one not as intimidating as the other one, but still probably as deadly – and in the opposite hand of the ambusher.

They both froze, well aware that neither had an advantage, and taking stock of their opponent.

"That was on stun," the stranger said, his voice steady although Melony and Talon both knew his hand had to be killing him where Talon had used the staff weapon to shoot the big gun out of his hand.

"Mine doesn't _have_ a stun setting," Talon said, his deep voice obviously surprising the ambusher, since Mitchell was obviously female.

The surprise was only fleeting, though, and the weapon in his left hand move slightly.

"This one doesn't, either."

There was a groan from the direction where Rodney had fallen, which told Melony and Talon that he was alive, but they didn't turn to see for themselves – and neither did their ambusher.

Both of them watched the other warily, taking in what they were seeing, trying to find a weakness to exploit.

Melony saw a large man – not big and bulky like Teal'c, but tall with broad shoulders and well-formed arms and chest – who was obviously a warrior of sorts. And almost definitely the reason the villagers were afraid to go into their own forest.

_He doesn't really look like a killer_, Talon observed.

Neither did Jeffrey Dahmer, Melony replied, both of them still completely focused on their opponent, despite the conversation.

"Who are you?" The man asked, his weapon not dropping one inch. He was baffled by what he was seeing. A young woman – certainly no older than he was – with a deep voice, and an odd weapon that he'd never seen before. A weapon that had managed to shoot his primary weapon out of his hand with a single well-placed bolt. One that had really stung. She was wearing clothing similar to those that Sheppard and the others were wearing, but that didn't mean anything really. Unlike Sheppard and the others, this woman was exuding a life force that was stronger than any he'd ever felt before. And was covered in a reeking filth that made him even more curious.

"Talon."

Again the deep voice that seemed so out of character for the person he was looking at.

"_What_ are you?"

"Who are _you_?" Talon countered, not answering the question, and not lowering the staff weapon from where it was pointed at the man's unprotected chest.

"Ronon Dex."

"You don't look like the villagers that live on this planet…" Talon said, making it a question without actually asking.

"No."

Dex didn't say anything else, though. And he didn't explain what he was doing. The two continued to stare at each other.

Another groan from Rodney, and this time a rustling from the ground nearby, proving he was coming to and moving around. Carefully, keeping a close eye on Mitchell, Dex turned to look at the man, backing up just a space to make sure he could turn his weapon on either of them if one made a move.

"What the hell was that?" McKay mumbled, rubbing his head as he sat up groggily.

"Who are you?"

Rodney looked at Dex, and then at Mitchell, taking in the situation fairly quickly considering just how much like crap he felt just then.

"We found the person responsible for the villagers…?"

"Perhaps."

If Rodney was surprised by the fact that it was Talon who answered, he didn't let it show. Probably, Melony decided, he was just too stunned to do more than rub his head. She was just glad he was okay.

"I didn't kill the villagers," Dex said, already tired of being accused of the disappearances.

"Did you kill that Wraith?" McKay asked, curiously.

"What Wraith?"

"The…" Rodney trailed off, his attention finally caught by the device in his pocket. A device that was beeping more incessantly than before, although no louder. He reached into the pocket without noticing how Dex's hand tightened on the gun he was holding at the motion. Melony _did_ notice, however, and the staff weapon moved just enough to warn Dex not to do anything stupid – even though _Rodney_ just had. Unmindful of the additional tension he'd just caused, he pulled out the Wraith tracking device, and looked at it. And then looked at Dex, his expression confused.

"_You're_ what the Wraith was tracking."


	15. 15

"What Wraith?" Dex repeated, sharply.

Rodney scowled.

"Oh I don't _know_…" he said, sarcastically, feeling more than a bit surly about being shot with some kind of souped up stun gun. Especially since his entire body was one solid throbbing ache. "Maybe the Wraith that Colonel Mitchell is _wearing_?"

Mitchell scowled as Dex looked over at her, and Talon bit back a muffled curse at Rodney's slip.

"I thought your name was _Talon_?"

"It is."

This time the voice was Melony's, and now the confusion on the man's face was even more profound. Almost comical, if not for the large weapon he had pointed at them. To his credit, however, he managed to keep from sounding too uncertain.

"Who are you?" He repeated, and to his credit he didn't sound quite as confused as he looked.

"Colonel Melony Mitchell. You?"

He hesitated, but since she'd introduced herself, he couldn't think of any reason not to do the same.

"Ronon Dex."

"Why do I have the feeling you're not from around here, Mr. Dex?" Melony asked, still holding the staff weapon on the man, but moving at the same time to go stand over Rodney, who was still on the ground – although now he was sitting up watching.

"Because I'm not." The gun in his hand didn't move, either, although he didn't object to the change of position. "And you?"

She shook her head.

"Definitely not. We're looking for some friends of ours."

Dex nodded.

"Colonel Sheppard."

_Now_ the staff weapon came up a little, and he could see the distrust in her eyes – even from the distance between them.

"You've seen him?"

"Maybe."

Of course, since he'd already called him by name there wasn't any doubt that he had.

Melony didn't appreciate the flippant attitude.

"Where is he?"

"Som-"

A loud scream interrupted him, and Rodney scrambled to his feet instantly, looking around in a panic, even while Mitchell and Dex both turned their weapons from each other to the direction that the scream had come from.

"What was _that_?" Rodney asked.

Dex shook his head, noticing that Mitchell was looking at him, now, for an explanation. She hadn't moved the weapon in her hand back towards him, though, and to reciprocate he didn't point his gun at her, either.

"I don't know. A creature of some sort."

"It's not another Wraith?" Rodney asked.

"I've never heard a Wraith scream like that."

Mitchell wasn't an expert on the Wraith, but _she_ hadn't, either.

"Have you seen it?"

"I've seen flashes of what might have been-"

"A _creature_? Wouldn't the villagers have warned us about a creature running around in the forest when we left their villages?" Rodney asked, his hand on his sidearm, although it was hung up in the holster and he hadn't been able to pull it out. Which was probably just as well.

"Unless they didn't know about it," Mitchell said.

"What is it?" Rodney asked.

"Where are Colonel Sheppard and his team?" Melony asked, turning her attention back to the initial reason she was there. She was concerned about the creature, sure, but she was more worried about Sheppard and the others running into the thing.

Dex hesitated again, obviously debating the question – or maybe the answer – and then he shrugged, a decision made.

"Back this way."

He turned his back on Mitchell and McKay – proving he'd already read Melony right and decided that she wasn't going to try anything from behind – and headed back into the dense forest, stopping only long enough to pick up the large weapon he'd had shot out of his hand.

OOOOOOOOO

"We've _got_ to get out of here…"

There was a definite note of panic in Ford's voice, but Sheppard and Teyla couldn't blame him. Both of them were just as unnerved by the sudden scream that had pierced the quiet of the forest only moments before. Unfortunately, it wasn't like they hadn't tried to get lose. All of them had wrists rubbed raw from trying to get loose, but the ropes that bound them were tight and the knots weren't going to come loose just from being tugged on.

They'd tried everything, too, even squirming around so they were back to back so one could try to untie another, but even Ford – who claimed to have never found a knot that confounded him – couldn't get these untied. Which had probably been why Dex had been so unconcerned about leaving them alone when he'd gone off on his little jaunt – wherever that was.

"Relax, Lieutenant," Sheppard said, eyeing the fire and wondering how badly he'd burn himself if he tried to burn the ropes loose. Probably pretty bad – which wasn't something he was willing to try.

"That thing is probably on its way here, Sir," Ford said, looking over his shoulder towards the direction of the scream. It was unnerving at night – but hadn't been any less so during the day.

"Well let's hope it _isn't_," Sheppard said, frowning. Wasn't _that_ a cheerful thought?

"What if-"

A rustling in the brush from the same direction the scream had come from brought Ford up short, and all three of them tensed, certain that the thing that had made the noise had decided that the fire wasn't big enough to be afraid of any longer.

A moment later, they saw Ronon Dex appear from behind a screen of carefully placed branches and walk toward them. Sheppard sighed, relieved that it wasn't something that might consider them dinner, but still tense, because he was going to have to convince the guy to let them go. Someone _had_ to be looking for them by now, and any searchers would be in serious danger if that whatever it is decided to go after them.

Then suddenly, it wasn't a concern at all. Unbelievably, Colonel Melony Mitchell stepped into the campsite only a few paces behind Dex. Carrying a staff weapon and definitely not a prisoner – although he wondered what she had all over her uniform. Right behind her came Rodney McKay, looking down at a device in his hand that Sheppard recognized as a tracking mechanism. A wave of relief went through him, even as Mitchell walked over to the fire.

His eyes watered suddenly as the breeze shifted, and a truly disgusting stench overpowered his relief.

"God, what is that _odor_?"

Mitchell scowled.

"Good to see you, too, Colonel Sheppard."


	16. 16

_Author's Note: This one's a little short_

OOOOOOOOOOOOo

"You guys okay?"

Sheppard nodded, his eyes still smarting from the stench coming from Mitchell's uniform.

"A little tied up…"

Melony smiled, backing up a couple of steps to move downwind from them.

"Rodney, untie them."

Ronon Dex frowned, his hand moving just a little towards the weapon at his side, and Melony raised an eyebrow at the motion – although her staff weapon didn't move from where it was lazily hanging from her hand.

"You're not going to make me fight you for them are you?" She asked him.

He shook his head, his hand moving away from his side.

"I suppose not."

Rodney moved forward, taking his knife from his belt and slashing carefully through the thongs that had the missing away team bound so tightly.

"Thanks," John told him, rubbing his wrists gratefully and trying to get the circulation flowing once more into his hands, which were literally numb.

"You're welcome," Rodney said, moving on to Teyla, who held still so he wouldn't accidentally cut her instead of the ropes. This _was_ Rodney, after all.

Dex watched as his prisoners were released, but Melony was watching him.

"What were you going to do with them?" She asked, curiously. He didn't seem like the type who was saving them for some kind of burnt offering or sacrifice – or for _dinner_, since she could see that he actually had some kind of meat spitted on sticks draped over the dying little fire.

Dex shrugged.

"I hadn't figured that out."

"Why did you even bother to capture us?" Sheppard asked, annoyed. "As far as I know, we weren't even doing anything…"

"You weren't villagers," Dex said. "I wanted to know who you were and why you were here."

"You could have just _asked_."

Melony snorted, amused now that she knew they were safe.

"What is that all over you?" Ford asked, wrinkling his nose in disgust as he rubbed his own chaffed wrists.

"Wraith guts."

"Among other things," Rodney added.

Sheppard frowned.

"Wraith? Here?"

"What's a Wraith doing in a Podunk little planet like this?" Ford asked, frowning as well. "And why didn't the villagers tell us about it? Them."

"This one was tracking our friend here," Rodney said, looking over at Dex.

"What?" John asked. "Tracking?"

"That's why we had so much trouble finding you," Melony told them. "The Wraith's tracking thing was interfering with ours."

"Tracking device," Rodney said.

Teyla had been watching Ronon intently during this conversation, and she spoke up.

"You do not seem surprised at this information," she said.

He hesitated, and then shook his head.

"I'm not."

"You mean you _knew_ a Wraith was tracking you?" Sheppard asked. "How many more are looking for you? Is that _thing_ out there one of them?"

"No."

This was from Melony.

Sheppard looked at her, startled.

"Have you seen it?"

She shook her head.

"No, but the Wraith we found was literally torn to shit. If I had to bet, I'd say that whatever that creature is out in the forest did it to him, not another Wraith."

"And is probably responsible for the missing villagers," Teyla said, still looking at Ronon speculatively.

Mitchell shrugged.

"Most likely. I can't imagine anyone wanting to hang out here in the forest after hearing that thing screaming."

"No doubt," Ford agreed.

"Which leads us back to the question…" John said, looking at Ronon once more. "What are you doing out here?"

"He is hiding from the Wraith," Teyla said.

Everyone looked at her, surprised. Including Dex.

"What?" Rodney asked. "What do you-"

"You are a runner," Teyla said, making a statement out of it, but also turning it into a question.

Dex hesitated for an instant, but nodded.

"Yes."

"What's a runner?" Melony asked, beating everyone else to the question.

Teyla looked at Ronon, who sighed.

"It's a long story," he said.

Melony made a show of looking at her watch.

"We have time."

He gestured to the area by the fire, deciding that he liked this woman – whoever she was.

"Then by all means, have a seat and I'll tell it to you."

They all started to sit down, but John held up his hand, waving Mitchell off when she started to move over to sit by him.

"You sit over there, Colonel," he said, gesturing to the far side of the fire – and with the gentle wind to her face rather than her back.

"Amen," Ford agreed, making a show of plugging his nose and waving his hand in front of his face.

Melony scowled, but moved to the other position, and decided that it would be just as good to listen to the story standing – just in case that whatever it was out there decided that it wanted to listen, too.

Teyla took the spot beside John, watching Dex, and Rodney pointedly moved away from Melony as well, moving to sit beside Ford.


	17. 17

Dex poked the fire with a stick, obviously gathering his thoughts as the Atlanteans watched him. Then he looked at Mitchell.

"When you introduced yourself, you used the word _Colonel_."

She nodded.

"That's my rank – my military designation."

He looked at Sheppard.

"You're a colonel as well."

Sheppard nodded.

"Ford here is a Lieutenant."

Dex looked at Teyla, expectantly, but she shook her head.

"I am not in their military – nor am I from their home world."

"But you travel with them."

She nodded.

"It is a mutually beneficial relationship."

"We're discussing you, Mr. Dex," Melony said, not wanting to allow things to get too sidetracked.

"_Specialist_," he said.

"Excuse me?"

"That is _my_ rank," he explained.

"You're military?" Ford asked, not really surprised. The guy definitely had some kind of training.

Dex nodded.

"Yes. I-"

"Is that _food_?" Rodney asked before Ronon could explain any further, looking at the meat that was spitted on the sticks over the fire. "Because it's been a _long_ time since breakfast and I'm _really_-"

"McKay…" Sheppard couldn't keep the disbelief out of his tone, but Dex merely nodded and reached out, taking one of the spits off the fire with an experienced hand and handing it over to Rodney, who promptly dropped it with a yelp. Luckily, he dropped it in his lap so it wasn't wasted.

"It's hot."

Rodney gave him a sarcastic glance.

"Thanks."

That didn't stop him from picking it up again, and pulling the first piece of meat off, however.

Melony turned back to Dex.

"So you're in the Military?"

"I _was_." He said, softly. "The Wraith attacked my home world decades before we were expecting them. Long before our plans to try and safeguard our population were in place, and completely without warning…" He paused, looking at the fire with a pained expression. "I don't know who – if _any_ – escaped. I was caught fairly quickly."

_Not surprisingly_, Talon said to his host. _I doubt he's the kind of man who was going to hide under a rock somewhere and wait for the fight to go away_

Melony agreed, although her expression didn't change as she watched the man.

"The next thing I knew, I was on one of the Wraith ships – a hive ship. They took me to a room, and stripped my-"

"Wait…" Rodney held up a hand. "This isn't going to be one of those abduction stories about them doing all kinds of weird sexual things, is it…? Because I'm _eating_, and I-"

"_Rodney_."

He looked over at Mitchell, who looked annoyed. Annoyed enough that he fell silent, and looked at Dex.

"Sorry."

He didn't answer, looking at McKay as if he wasn't sure what to think of him. Which added him to a long list of everyone else who wasn't sure what to think of Rodney McKay.

"He won't interrupt again," Mitchell said, giving McKay a pointed look. "Please, finish…"

Dex looked over at her, and finally nodded.

"They stripped off my shirt, and I was certain one of them was going to start feeding. I've seen it done, you know? It's not pretty…"

The Atlanteans, for the most part, were nodding. _They'd_ seen it done as well – and Melony knew first hand just how much it hurt.

"One started to…" Dex shuddered with the memory, despite the fact that he was trying to be very dispassionate about the ordeal, telling them about it as if telling a story. "But he stopped."

"Why?" Rodney asked, interrupting despite himself. Since it was a good question, however, no one even glanced at him. They all wanted to know, too.

"They pushed me down onto a table," Ronon said, staring at the fire once more. "And did some kind of surgery on me – implanting some kind of device. And then they released me."

"What?" Ford asked.

"They put something in me – I can feel it, I know it's there – and then they let me go. And now they're following me. Hunting me."

"A tag…" Melony said.

He looked up at her, questioningly.

"A transmitting device…" she clarified. "So they could track you."

He nodded.

"Wherever I go… they're there. Always."

"How long ago was this?" Teyla asked.

"Seven years."

"And you've been running all that time?" She asked.

He nodded.

"I had no choice. If I stop, they catch up to me. They always find me. Then I kill them. But others come…" he shook his head, and Melony could see just how exhausted he was – despite the way he tried to hide it. "Always, they come… so I keep moving."

"There have been stories of others like you," Teyla said, sympathetically, resting her hand lightly on his arm for just a moment. "None have escaped, though. I thought it to be simple stories meant to frighten."

"It's frightening me…" Rodney said, looking a little green.

"I came here," Dex said, "Hoping that the small population on the planet would make it unattractive to the Wraith and hoping to find a place to hide for a while and rest. The Wraith haven't been active the last few months, and I thought maybe I-"

"The Wraith have been all but annihilated," Sheppard said. "They _can't_ be active."

"They still came…" Dex said. "I killed one… I thought he was the only one." He looked at Mitchell. "You found one in the forest?"

"Dead," she confirmed.

"Then that makes two," he said. "There could be more."

"Or they could have been taken care of by whatever it is that killed that one we found," Rodney said.

"I can't take that chance," Dex said. "The longer I stay, the more chance there is of putting the villagers by the Stargate into jeopardy. I'm surprised they haven't been attacked already. One time I stayed just long enough for a hot meal and the Wraith destroyed-"

"The Wraith can't attack like that any more," Sheppard said. "They're gone."

"So the stories say…" Dex said, shaking his head. "It doesn't change anything – even if it _is_ true. They're still coming after me."

"They're following the transmitting device," Melony said.

"Yes."

"So why don't you take it out?"

"Do you think I haven't _tried_?" Now the look he shot her was pure frustration. "I have. I can't reach the spot on my own, and I can't stop long enough to find someone to-"

"Take your shirt off," Melony said, interrupting.

"What?"

"Do it."

She moved over to the fire, coming in behind him as he obeyed, stripping his shirt and the odd jacket he'd been wearing. His back and shoulders were well-muscled and scarred – but in the center of his back was a hideous looking scar that was either left over from the initial operation, or from his attempt to take care of the situation himself.

_Probably a mixture of both_, Talon said.

The others all peered at the wound as well, curious despite themselves. Even Rodney.

Mitchell reached out and ran her finger along the largest of the scars, and thought that she might have felt something under his skin. There was no way she was going to try to do anything, though. _She_ wasn't a doctor, and neither was Talon.

_But you just happen to be on very good terms with a talented one_, Talon said, slyly.

Yeah.

"We can take care of that," she said aloud. "Probably."

Dex turned to look at her, his expression a mixture of hope and distrust.

"Why would you do that?"

She shrugged, understanding his question but not really having a good answer that wouldn't sound dumb or condescending.

"I'm missing the _help_ _take an alien transmitter out of the soldier's back_ merit badge," she said, patting his shoulder and moving back to the other side of the fire. "You don't want to _keep_ it, do you?"

"No."

"There you go, then. I just happen to know of a very good surgeon with reasonable rates."


	18. 18

"Take him back to Atlantis?" Sheppard asked.

Mitchell shrugged, but Rodney interrupted.

"We can't take him back to Atlantis."

They all looked at him, and Melony opened her mouth to reply, but it was Ford who asked the question.

"Why not?"

"Because if he's really carrying a _transmitter_, then we can't risk him bringing the Wraith to Atlantis with him."

"I thought the Wraith were gone?" Dex asked. He, of course, hadn't said he was going to go anywhere – and wouldn't without hearing more – but he couldn't help but be hopeful at the idea of finally ridding himself of the tracking device.

"They _are_ gone," Sheppard said, scowling at Rodney – and fairly certain that wasn't really the reason the astrophysicist didn't want to take Dex back to Atlantis. "And there's not enough of them to do anything to Atlantis – even if the place was abandoned."

"Which it is not," Teyla said. "Between my people and yours, the Wraith can do nothing – even if they could somehow manage to follow Ronon Dex to Atlantis."

"But they won't follow him there," Mitchell said. "Not if they're following the _transmitter_."

"What do you mean?" Rodney asked.

Melony looked at Ford, who had already figured it out.

"Lieutenant?"

"We put the transmitter somewhere else once it's out of his back?"

"Exactly."

"Someplace nasty," Sheppard said, nodding his agreement with the plan.

"Even better," Melony said, "We can use that transmitter to get what Wraith have escaped the initial ambush."

_Excellent idea, Hot Shot!_

Talon couldn't have thought of a better plan himself – and he had had a lot more practice at it.

"You mean ambushes?" Sheppard asked.

Melony nodded.

"Why not?"

"Ambush the Wraith?" Dex asked.

"Yes."

"Using the device in my back?"

"Yes."

"Rather _poetic_, isn't it?" Sheppard asked, grinning.

"Poetic?" Dex repeated, uncertain what he meant.

"Well, the Wraith have been chasing you for years, right? Using that thing they put in you to follow you around trying to kill you. Now you're going to use that thing against them."

"To kill them?" Dex asked Melony – since she was the one who'd brought up the idea.

She nodded.

"Yes."

"I knew there was a reason I didn't shoot you when I first met you."

Melony smiled.

"There _is_; I shot your gun out of your hand."

Dex grinned as well.

"You know, it's always possible that Carson won't be able to get the transmitter out of him," Rodney said, the meat in his hand ignored for a moment.

"Carson?"

"The doctor who's going to get that thing out of you," Ford explained. "And if he can't do it, then no one can."

"Which won't change anything, really," Melony said. "We just take Specialist Dex with us on the ambushes."

"Use him for bait?" Teyla asked, uncertain if that was really a good thing to do.

"I would go at any rate," Ronon told them, looking at all of them. "I owe the Wraith for what they have done. To me, and to my world."

Melony nodded. She knew all about the need for vengeance. More than most, for that matter.

"Well, it'd be better if we got that thing out of you," Sheppard said, standing up. He had been sitting far too long already and was more than ready to head back to the gate. "So that should be the first order of business."

Everyone else stood as well, although Rodney grabbed up the skewer he'd been holding.

"We need to warn the villagers, also," Melony said, looking around the camp. "They need to know about the whatever it is that's running around these woods."

"We must help them," Teyla said quickly.

"We will," she said. "But I have a team returning to the forest to back us up, and I can't run the risk of them running into that thing while they're looking for us. We'll return with more people – and some Jaffa trackers – and then we can deal with that thing."

Sheppard looked around the camp as well, and then at Dex.

"Can we have our weapons back?"

"I left them where I captured you."

"What? Why would you do that?"

"Because they didn't look like anything I wanted, and I didn't want them to be used against me if you somehow managed to escape."

"Which you _didn't_," Rodney said, with just a little smugness. Not like he had anything to do with Dex keeping the away team captured, but he couldn't help but be amused that it had happened – at least, now that they were safe.

Sheppard scowled.

"_Yet_."

Amused, but doing a fine job of hiding it, Melony turned to Ronon.

"Where are they?" She asked. "We should probably get them before we go."

Especially since Sheppard and Ford both carried zats, which Melony wasn't prepared to hand out to some unknown villager who might happen upon and accidentally use to disintegrate a fellow villager.

Dex pointed in the opposite direction they'd emerged from the bushes.

"Not far."

"We'll need our radios, too," Ford said, feeling a little foolish, and scowling at McKay for pointing out how easily they'd been caught.

"You left them as well?" Teyla asked. _She_ didn't feel foolish at all. It was obvious Dex was a fine warrior, and there was no shame in being captured by a warrior. It wasn't like it was _McKay_ who had caught them, after all.

Dex shook his head and ducked into the small covered shelter, emerging with a handful of equipment; radios, packs and even foodstuffs. As he handed them over, he looked at Teyla.

"I just turned them off."


	19. 19

The packs were passed out to the away team and while they were making sure that everything was where it was supposed to be, Melony helped Dex tear down his little camp and put out the small fire. No sense in burning the forest down, after all. He gathered what little he had and put it into a rucksack of sorts, slinging it over his shoulder, and Melony looked at the others.

"Ready?"

There were assorted nods.

"Specialist Dex and I will take point," Melony said, hefting her staff weapon once more and shouldering her own pack. "Ford, watch our six, Sheppard and Teyla have flank." She looked at Rodney, who was still gnawing on the skewer of meat. "Rodney?"

He looked up.

"Yes?"

"You're going to need your hands free in case something happens."

He flushed slightly at the light reprimand and dropped the skewer into the sandy remains of the fire pit, and then wiped his greasy hands on his pants.

"Sorry."

She gave him a slight smile, knowing that his hands were going to be too slick to grab any weapon if he needed one. Hopefully, though, he wouldn't.

"See if you can reach Boyett. He should have made it to the gate by now."

And she wanted to make sure that he and Duck hadn't run into any trouble.

"You left Boyett in the village?" Sheppard asked, frowning.

She shook her head.

"We had him and Sergeant Sanchez with us, but Sanchez fell out of a tree and hurt his ankle, so I sent them back."

"What was he doing in a tree?" Ford asked, curiously.

Mitchell smiled.

"Someone had to check out the dead Wraith in the tree."

John looked at her soiled uniform again.

"So to get even with you for sending him up there, he dropped the _Wraith_ on you?"

That could explain why she was so… well covered… in goo.

"Close."

"Something pulled the Wraith up into a tree?" Ford asked.

"And _ate_ part of it," Rodney confirmed, although he did wish they could come up with a different subject since he'd just eaten. "Why don't we get going so we don't run into whatever it was that did it, hmmm? I'd like to be back to the gate by dark."

"There's plenty of time," Dex said, moving to stand near Mitchell. "Even stopping to get your weapons we'll make the village in only a few hours."

They headed out, Dex's hand on his sidearm, telling Melony that he was being just as careful about the strange whatever it was in the forest as she was.

"How did you catch Colonel Sheppard's team?" she asked, her eyes on the woods in front of them. It was one thing to hold a conversation, but another to not watch what was going on around them.

"I stalked them for about an hour," Dex said, watching the forest as well. "Waited until they were separated by brush and branches and took the opportunity to stun them one at a time."

Mitchell glanced at the weapon at his side.

"That's a nasty piece of hardware you're carrying."

He nodded, drawing the big gun.

"It's a specialty weapon. Stun setting. Kill setting. It'll knock a Wraith back even on stun, and will put a hole in one on kill."

"Will it kill them?" Melony asked, interested. If not for the fact that they were on the move and he needed to have the weapon close – and they needed to pay attention to what was going on around them – she would have loved to try the thing out.

"Not with just one shot, but it will if I concentrate them." He looked at her staff weapon. "What's that?"

"Staff weapon," she said, holding it up so he could see it – although he didn't reach for it, either.

"You can fire it or use it in close combat?"

Mitchell nodded, not at all surprised that he'd seen that immediately.

"Yes."

"I've never seen anything like it."

"It's a Jaffa weapon."

Like _that_ meant anything to him.

"You mentioned Jaffa _trackers_…" He made it a question, and Melony had no reason not to enlighten him a little.

"The Jaffa are a warrior race, and some of the finest trackers I've ever seen."

"Sound like my kind of people."

She smiled.

"They're impressive."

He moved a branch, holding it for her so she could pass through, and then followed. Having her walk so close beside him, however, reminded him that she was different from those she was with – even different from Teyla, who was admittedly from a different world than the others.

"Are _you_ a Jaffa?" He asked her as he caught up.

She shook her head, pleased at the compliment, even though he didn't realize how much of a compliment it was.

"No."

"_You're_ not like the others, though." Again it was a question as well as a statement.

She shook her head.

"I _am_, but I'm not. It's a long story. One that I'll be happy to tell you – once we're out of here and that thing is out of your back."

She'd rather he heard that particular story from her than from Rodney McKay, after all.

"Fair enough."

She smiled, and started to ask him another question about the weapon at his side, when a noise caught their attention. Nothing big; it was just out of place in the quiet forest – much like the noise that had alerted her and Talon to his original attempt at ambushing her and McKay.

When he turned to look the same direction she did, she didn't need to ask if he'd heard it as well. He'd already drawn his weapon, lifting it just enough to have it at the ready.

A crashing noise from behind them announced Rodney's arrival, the astrophysicist fiddling with his radio, which he'd been using trying to raise Boyett or Duck, and not paying attention to what was going on around him. He was in the middle of the group, after all, and nothing ever happened in the middle of the group.

Both Ronon and Mitchell turned to tell him to be quiet, and that moment of distraction was all that it took.

A flash of tan dropped down from a tree above them – not from the direction of the noise they'd heard – and there was a scream identical to the sound they'd been hearing from the forest since they'd arrived. Mitchell had just long enough to register that it was a cat – a large cat – before it was on her, bowling her to the ground even as she felt Talon take over and twist to the side. She felt claws catch in the flak jacket she was wearing and knew the thing – and the move Talon had made – had just protected her from what would have been a killing blow. She'd lost her staff weapon, but reached for her knife with one hand, grabbing the creature's neck with the other to keep the teeth off her. They went rolling into the brush, the creature snarling, and Talon just trying to keep up.

Rodney froze, but Dex had already brought his weapon up towards the battle being fought, but the creature was locked with Mitchell and even Dex couldn't make the shot without risking hitting her.

"_Kill it_!" Rodney yelled, and there was more noise in the background as the others made their way to the scene.

Ronon started to reply, but a snarl from behind him was all the warning he had before another tawny form emerged from the brush and was on him in an instant.


	20. 20

_Author's Note: When trying to picture what these cats look like, think of cougars and mountain lions (or pumas, depending on what you call them). That should help you get an idea of what they look like in case I don't do them justice!_

OOOOOOOOO

Startled by the sudden attack, Ronon went down, his weapon flying out of his hand as the weight of the huge cat knocked him tumbling into the bushes. The cat followed, pressing its attack, and Dex felt something slice across his side as it tried to catch hold of him to deliver a killing bite to the back of his neck. Grunting in pain, he twisted desperately, and felt the sharp claws snag in the leather of the jacket he was wearing, which bought him a little time. Not much, though, and not enough for him to manage to do much more than grab the creature around the middle, pulling himself as close to it as he could to try and prevent allowing it the chance to get positioned for a new bite. Claws raked his side, sometimes catching the jacket, many times hitting skin, and the only things keeping the cat from finishing him was that they were in heavy brush, now, and Dex wasn't holding still to give it the chance.

Completely stunned at the dual attack, Rodney McKay was frozen, the tracking device hanging from numb fingers at his side. As if in slow motion he'd seen Dex lose his big weapon – a weapon that would surely be able to stop the cats with a single shot – and had seen the guy disappear in the brush under the ferocious cat. Mitchell and her attacker were rolling on the ground in the brush even closer to McKay, snarls from the cat mixing with the grunts and yelps of pain from Melony as the cat occasionally scored a hit with claw or tooth.

He dropped the tracking device, and incredibly enough; even over the twin sounds of mauling, he heard the dull thud as it struck the ground at his feet. A thud, nothing more, but the device broke, and Rodney looked dumbly down at it. Now he'd have to fix it. Crazily, it was this very thought that jerked him out of his paralysis. The daze that had fuddled him was wiped away, and replaced by panic as he realized that neither Dex nor Mitchell could possibly hope to survive the attacks, and while he didn't know all that much about Ronon Dex, he did know Mitchell, and he knew he couldn't just let her die. What would Carson say? More importantly, what would _Teal'c_ say? Teal'c didn't like him all that much anyways, after all, and what if he blamed him for-

A yelp from Melony jerked him out of his thoughts – it had only taken an instant for his mind to go over all those possibilities at any rate, and it had only been moments since the attacks had begun, but already it seemed like eternity to him. He pulled his gun, his fingers slippery with nervous sweat and residual grease from the meat he'd eaten earlier, and pointed it in the air, firing off several rounds and hoping that it would scare off the creatures. If nothing else, it would alert the others, who were probably already on their way to the scene – they weren't that far away, after all.

Nothing happened. The gun slipped out of his hand – he'd been considering throwing it at the cat that was rolling around with Melony – and dropped beside the broken tracking device. His normally agile mind completely out of ideas and desperate to do _something_, Rodney unthinkingly did the first thing that came to mind. With a running leap and a terrified scream, he jumped into the middle of the fight, grabbing the cat from behind and holding on for dear life as he tried to distract it long enough for Talon to do something about it.

OOOOOOOO

The first indication Sheppard had that something was wrong was the gunshots. Fast and furious, they were so out of place in the quiet forest that he actually started, nearly jumping out of his clothing at the loud reports breaking the silence of the day. He instantly reached for the Beretta that Mitchell had handed him before they'd headed out, and ran through the brush towards the shots, grabbing his radio with his free hand as he did so.

"_Colonel_? _McKay_?"

The shots hadn't come from far enough away to be Teyla or Ford. Besides, they didn't have Berettas. Ford had Rodney's zat, and Teyla had Melony's. Crashing towards the noise, he heard the arrival of Ford and Teyla, both reacting to the shots as well and both with their weapons drawn.

"What is it?" Ford yelled as soon as he was close enough.

"That way!" Sheppard returned. "Move."

They could hear screams, now. Screams that were just like the ones they'd been hearing since they arrived – only now they were a lot closer and they were accompanied by a lot of other noises. Like some kind of intense wrestling match was taking place just ahead.

With Ford in the lead, now, because he was faster than the others, Sheppard ran into a small cleared area. Just in time to see Rodney McKay jump on the back of what looked like some kind of cat. The cat wasn't paying much attention to McKay though – it had someone else down on the ground under it. Judging from the staff weapon on the ground close by, it was Mitchell.

"_Shoot it_!" Sheppard yelled, turning his head toward the other one, which was attacking Dex.

_He_ couldn't do anything. He had absolutely no chance of firing into either melee and hitting _just_ the cats, but Teyla and Ford both had zats, which could stun the cats – and Mitchell, Dex and McKay, too, unfortunately – and give them a chance to separate things out. Hopefully before it was too late.

Ford and Teyla both took in the scene as quickly as Sheppard, weapons up as they rushed into the area. The cat Rodney was on gave a mighty twist, snarling furiously as it turned and took a swipe at the astrophysicist. The big paw hit McKay in the chest, and while his flak jacket protected him from the terrible claws, the force of the blow sent Rodney flying, tumbling tail over teakettle until he came to a stop several feet away.

The distraction was enough for Talon. Bleeding from several scratches – and one lucky bite – Talon managed to grab Melony's knife from her sheath and try for some offense for a change. Her hand, slippery with blood, slashed against the underside of the cat attacking her, opening a deep wound, and the cat screamed with pain and retaliated with a stunning blow from a huge paw that knocked the knife out of Melony's hand.

"_McKay_!"

Certain that the others would use their zats and deal with the cats, Sheppard started towards Rodney as both Teyla and Ford fired their zats. The screams of anger from the cats muffled the yelps of pain from Dex and Mitchell when the electrical currents from the discharged struck them, and as the cats jumped backward, rolling sideways in surprise at being shocked, Ford and Teyla both took aim for a second – hopefully _killing_ – shot.

And then, as if things hadn't been bad enough already, there was yet another snarl – hardly any warning at all – and Ford was suddenly bowled over as yet another big cat came rushing out of cover, slamming into him and taking a swipe at the hand that held the zat as if it knew somehow that that hand was the most deadly.

Ford tumbled, losing the zat and landing hard against the trunk of a small tree as the cat's momentum carried it over him. With a grunt of pain, he twisted to catch the attack that had to be coming, and heard the sound of a zat firing as Teyla took aim at the cat that had just attacked. The shot hit the animal, causing it to stumble in mid-leap, and it went crashing into Ford, driving him to the ground once more, this time with the weight of the stunned creature landing full on top of him.

Teyla whirled; saw that Dex was just recovering form the stunning blow of the zat that had been fired at him and the cat. The tall warrior was bleeding and battered, but the fight wasn't out of him yet. He was reaching for a knife – with absolutely no chance of getting to it in time – when the cat shook off its own reaction to the zat, and the creature sprang at him once more.

Suddenly, a force bolt slammed into the side of the cat, knocking it to the side. It screamed, rolled, and sprang again, and there were two more bolts, fired simultaneously. Both struck the cat, knocking it back once more, and this time it lay still, twitching slightly, but quite dead despite the small motions.

Teyla turned, surprised, and saw several Jaffa emerging from the forest, accompanied by an exhausted-looking Boyett. A moment later several more blasts from staff weapons – far better aimed than anything Teyla could have done with the same weapon – slammed into the cat that Mitchell was wrestling with, knocking it back and leaving Melony lying on her back, stunned and panting heavily as she tried to catch her breath.

As more Jaffa emerged and dispatched the cat that was covering Ford, Teal'c walked over and looked down at Mitchell, who looked up as a shadow came over her, blocking her from the sun she'd seen only moments before. There was a little concern in the big Jaffa's expression, but it faded when he saw that she was only bloody, and not dead.

"Colonel Mitchell… it is good to see you again."


	21. 21

Melony looked up at Teal'c, not at all inclined to get up just yet – even though there was a rock digging painfully into the small of her back.

"Teal'c."

The Jaffa knelt down beside her as the others separated to help the others.

"Are you all right, Colonel Mitchell?"

She hesitated.

Am I?

_Just stay still for a bit, okay?_

"I can't move… much."

She wasn't completely helpless, after all.

Teal'c nodded, opening the vest she was wearing, and then her jacket, looking for injuries. He found several slashes, but the only serious ones were on her shoulder and hip. On her forearm was a nasty bite wound, but that, too, would undoubtedly heal. The vest had done a fine job of protecting her from the claws of the vicious cat – mostly. Teal'c turned to one of his lieutenants.

"Jaffa, _Kree_."

He gestured to the pack the Jaffa had carried, and when the warrior brought it over to him, Melony's First Prime pulled out a first aid kit and wrapped her shoulder tightly to staunch the flow of blood.

As Melony watched, more than willing to put herself in Teal'c's hands just then, the others were getting things sorted out as well.

Sheppard and one of the Jaffa were both kneeling beside Rodney McKay, who was slumped unconscious next to the trunk he'd been tossed against.

"Is he all right?" Teyla asked, coming over and watching as the Jaffa stripped Rodney's jacket and vest to check for injuries.

"He'll be okay," Sheppard said, checking the bump on McKay's head. "We need to get him back to Atlantis, though." He looked over at Ford, who was shakily getting to his feet with a helping hand from one of the Jaffa. "Ford?"

The young lieutenant shrugged.

"I'm okay."

"Good. Check on Dex."

A couple of the Jaffa had already converged on the site where Dex and the cat that had attacked him had ended up, both lying motionless and bloody. They pulled the cat off the injured man and knelt beside him, one of them already reaching for a medical kit. Ford took it from him and dropped down beside the man, uncertain if the Jaffa were better at first aid than he was.

"Wow…"

Mitchell was just close enough to hear. She sat up, painfully, and looked over – although she couldn't see anything.

"How is he, lieutenant?"

"He's out, Colonel."

"Alive, though?"

"Yeah." Ford was already pulling a bandage from the pack. "We need to get him to Beckett, though."

"Have the Jaffa make a couple of stretchers," Melony told Teal'c. "One for him, and one for McKay."

"Who is he?" Teal'c asked, even as he gestured for a couple of the Jaffa to make stretchers to carry the wounded.

"It's a long story," Melony said as Teal'c tied off the tight bandage on her shoulder. "I'll tell you when I tell the others, to save time."

Teal'c nodded, accepting that, and stood, watching as two stretchers were made and Ronon Dex and Rodney McKay were placed carefully on them. By then, Mitchell was sitting up, breaths coming painfully as she watched what was going on around her as well.

Teal'c had brought ten Jaffa with him – more than enough to make sure the trip back to the gate would be uneventful.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, moving her shoulder gently to see if she'd have any trouble with it. It hurt, telling her that she wasn't going to be arm-wrestling anyone any time soon.

"Doctor Weir sent word that your team had gone to look for Colonel Sheppard's team and had not been heard from. When Lieutenant Boyett and Sergeant Sanchez returned without you, telling of the noises you had heard, I decided it was time to come look for you."

Mitchell nodded.

"You have great timing."

The big Jaffa looked around, noting that they were making stretchers and several of them were bleeding – including Ford, who was injured, but not badly.

"It would have been better had we arrived a few minutes sooner."

Melony smiled. What a perfectionist.

"I'm not complaining."

Boyett was looking down at one of the cats that had attacked them.

"It looks like a mountain lion…"

Sheppard had supervised the loading of McKay onto the stretcher, but joined the lieutenant and nodded his agreement.

"Yeah. But bigger."

"I do not understand why the villagers did not warn us f the dangers these cats represented," Teyla said, coming over to look as well.

"Perhaps they did not know of the creatures…" Teal'c said, moving to stand beside her. The two didn't touch, but there was an intimacy – even in the way that they were standing – that made Melony smile as she watched them.

"Do we have enough people to bring one with us?" She asked Teal'c, who would know better than she did if one of his Jaffa – or maybe two – could carry one of the cats with them. "I'd like to show it to the villagers."

"Of course."

One of the Jaffa could carry a cat. None of them would admit if the creature was too heavy, and Teal'c knew it.

"Good." She looked to make sure they were all ready, watched as a couple of Jaffa helped one of the others sling one of the cats – the one that had attacked Ford (because it wasn't so torn up and bloody) – over his shoulder. "Let's get going."

Her body was aching, cut up, bitten and sliced, and she wanted nothing more than to get back to Carson.


	22. 22

It was a sorry looking party that came out of the forest only an hour later. Two were on stretchers – and neither had made any sign that they were going to wake up, which had Mitchell worried. Ford had an arm in a sling with a bloody bandage both on the arm and wrapped around his forehead where he'd hit a rock or a stump or something when the cat had attacked him. Melony was between two Jaffa; Teal'c and one of his lieutenants, who had taken her weight only a few minutes after starting back to the Stargate. She wasn't as healthy as she'd thought, and with her moving, there wasn't a whole lot Talon could do to heal her.

Behind them, one Jaffa had the dead cat slung over his shoulder, while the rest of the Jaffa were guarding them as they walked. Nothing attacked them on the way back, which gave them the chance to move quickly, and they didn't even hear any odd noises to distract them. Which was fine with Melony, since she was distracted enough by the ache in her side and shoulder that was only getting worse with each step.

_It won't be long, now_, Talon promised.

I know. I'm not complaining.

_You should be_

She gave a purely mental shrug, glad that Teal'c didn't mind leaning over a little to make up for the fact that she was a lot shorter than he was.

It could be worse. At least I can walk out. More or less.

She wasn't on a stretcher, after all.

Talon didn't respond, but she didn't mind. He was busy taking care of her, trying to keep her bleeding under control and to take care of what he could while she was moving, and she was all for that.

They were spotted immediately when they left the forest. Just because none of the children were allowed to actually go in it any more, it didn't stop the young men and older boys from daring each other to get close to it, taunting each other and comparing their testicular fortitude by seeing who would go the furthest in. Not surprisingly, they were the first to see the group emerge, and several of them shouted, running for their respective villages to get the elders.

Someone had returned when none were expected – and what was that creature they had with them!

"Dial the gate, Lieutenant," Melony said, looking at Boyett as she let go of Teal'c and the other Jaffa who was supporting her. She turned to the Jaffa, gesturing for the ones carrying the stretchers to go with Boyett. "Get Dex and McKay to Doctor Beckett."

"I will go with them," Teyla offered from the position she'd been in on the other side of Teal'c. "To explain to him what is necessary."

Melony gave a grateful nod.

"Thanks. Ford? Go with them and get checked out, too."

"What about you?" Sheppard asked. She was just as bloody as any of the others – although she was on her feet – and she'd looked worse the longer they'd walked.

"I want to see what the villagers might know about this thing," Melony said, gesturing to the cat. "Talon will keep me on my feet, Colonel. Don't worry."

He didn't look all that convinced, but the good thing about outranking him was that he couldn't send her back if he wanted to.

"Okay…"

She smiled, and walked over to the Jaffa with the cat slung over his shoulder. A big creature, but the powerful Jaffa wasn't complaining – and wouldn't – since she as there and he'd die before she found him lacking. Scary thought, but true.

_It'd make a nice rug_, Talon said as Melony looked at the creature, running her hand along its coarse tawny fur.

Not on _my_ floor.

A commotion from the village on the right showed that some of the villagers were returning, and in front of them, leading the little parade, were the village council.

The Jaffa stood silently proud as they watched the villagers approach with some measure of caution. The villagers had met Mitchell and the others, but when the Jaffa had come through the Stargate, they hadn't stopped to talk, or to be introduced, and all the villagers knew was that there was a large (for them) contingent of terrifyingly serious aliens on their planet, near their loved ones. It was reassuring to see them with Mitchell and the one who had introduced himself as Sheppard – and just as relieving to see that they were alive.

As leader of the council, Chanin had the unhappy responsibility of stepping up to the group, and he did so, putting on a much braver face than he actually felt. He turned in time to see the Stargate activate and several members of the party leave with wounded on stretchers, but there were still many on his planet – although he could see that Colonel Mitchell was wounded as well.

He looked at the dead cat slung over the large warrior's shoulder, and lost his brave face, backing up a step in case it wasn't dead – although it seemed to be. Of course, the odor coming from Mitchell might have had something to do with him backing up as well.

"Colonel Mitchell… Colonel Sheppard… it is good to see you are both alive…"

Sheppard smiled sarcastically, but Melony's smile was a bit more sincere.

"Thank you, Chanin." She turned to the creature, knowing that he hadn't missed it. "Can you tell me what this is?"

Reluctantly, the old man stepped close once more, as did several other members of the council. It was their responsibility, after all, to show that their people were not cowards.

"It is a Tree Cat," Chanin said, hesitantly.

"But larger than any I have ever seen," Mina added, looking at the cat interestedly.

There were assorted murmurs of agreement.

"Why didn't you warn us about them?" Sheppard asked, annoyed. It was obvious that the creatures weren't a big secret to these people.

Chanin looked at him, surprised.

"Why would we? They are not aggressive."

"You are incorrect," Teal'c said, speaking for the first time, and causing a few of the council members to step back at the sound of his deep, gravelly voice. "I myself witnessed three of these creatures attacking Colonel Mitchell and her party."

Mina frowned – as did the others.

"That's not possible," she said. "You must be mistaken."

"I am not."

"But the Tree Cats never pose a danger to us," Chanin said, shaking his head. "They only eat the large birds that roost in the trees of the forest – and I have _never_ heard of any being seen together except for mating season."

"Which is several months away," Mina added. "Even then, they are _only_ aggressive if we are foolish enough to get caught in the way."

Mitchell scowled.

"Then why would they attack us?"

"They should not have," Chanin said.

"Perhaps something has influenced their behavior?" Teal'c said, looking at Mitchell. She'd mentioned the Wraith, but hadn't really gone into much detail.

"I don't know," she admitted, shrugging.

"It must be the Cats that have been killing your people," Sheppard said. "They've vicious enough to have done it, I assure you."

Chanin shook his head, but looking at Mitchell's wounds – which were obvious – he couldn't deny that something had attacked her. Something violent, and with the large alien claiming that he'd seen the cat at their feet doing it, he had no choice but to believe it.

"We'll take it with us," Melony said. "And have our scientists look at it, and study it. Maybe they can come up with some answers."

Mina and the others nodded. They didn't want the creature – even dead – anywhere near them.

"Thank you, Colonel," Chanin said, gratefully.

"No promises," Melony said. "But if we come up with anything we'll let you know."

"On the plus side," Sheppard said. "There's three less of those things than there was yesterday."

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed.

Mina looked at Mitchell.

"Do you require medical assistance, Colonel Mitchell? Our healers are very talented…"

Melony shook her head.

"We're on our way back, now, Mina," she said. "I'll get looked at there. We'll return though – as soon as we have something to tell you."

"We look forward to your return," Chanin said, diplomatically. He wasn't actually positive he wanted her to return with the imposing aliens that were with her, but there was no way he'd risk their anger by saying it aloud. He did, however, appreciate the help with the Tree Cats, and he was glad she'd found her missing comrades.

Melony smiled, and draped her arm over Teal'c once more, well aware that her injured hip wasn't going to alow her the graceful exit she might have wanted.

"Thank you, Chanin." She turned to Sheppard. "Dial the gate, will you?"

"With pleasure."

He was starving, and wanted a bath. Even more, he wanted _Mitchell_ to take a bath.


	23. 23

_Author's note: Would have been up earlier... but..._

OOOOOOO

Carson wasn't waiting on the other side of the gate for her. Melony knew he wouldn't be – not with Dex needing that tracking thing out of his back and Rodney knocked senseless – but she'd allowed herself to hope that he would be there. Instead, it was Doctor Weir and one nervous-looking young Air Force doctor (newly arrived from Earth, Melony knew) with a couple of corpsmen behind him.

_No doubt he has heard just how unpredictable and cold-blooded you are_, Talon said, amused by the way he hung back just a little when they emerged from the gate.

Either that or I really _do_ stink.

_Well,_ that _could be it_, he conceded.

Considering the way Weir wrinkled her nose when Melony and Teal'c stepped close, that _probably_ was it. Weir was far too good a diplomat to actually let them know just how little she wanted to be close at hand. Instead she smiled.

"Colonel Mitchell. It's good to see you safe and more or less sound."

Melony smiled.

"Thanks to you, I hear."

Weir shrugged.

"It seemed prudent to send some substantial backup, and Teal'c and the Jaffa were the most substantial help I could think of at the time."

Melony nodded her agreement, but before she could say anything else, the doctor – a lieutenant - stepped forward.

"Colonel Mitchell? We should get you to the infirmary. Doctor Beckett asked that I make sure you're comfortable while he deals with the others."

The two corpsmen stepped forward as well. They were more familiar with Mitchell – who was a regular around the infirmary since she was frequently there to speak with Beckett – so they weren't as diffident about taking up the spots that Teal'c and the other Jaffa had held supporting Mitchell. Which was a relief to Melony since they were a lot closer to her size and it didn't stretch her injured shoulder as much when she draped her arm over their shoulders.

"Would you rather have a gurney, Colonel?" One of them asked.

She shook her head. It wasn't far to the infirmary.

"When you and the others are up to it, I'd like a report, Colonel," Weir requested, moving to stand next to Teal'c, who didn't smell nearly as bad now that he wasn't attached to Mitchell.

"As soon as possible, doctor," Melony promised. She gestured to the dead cat that was still slung over the shoulder of the Jaffa. "I'd like you to have someone check that thing out."

"What is it?"

"A Tree Cat."

Weir glanced at it.

"Is it as dangerous as it looks?"

"Apparently it's far more dangerous than it's _supposed_ to be," Melony said, looking at it as well. "I'd like to know if there's a connection between that aggression and the fact that it – _probably_ – ate a Wraith."

Weir frowned.

"_Ate a Wraith_?"

"Most of it…" Boyett said, speaking for the first time.

"And maybe others…" Melony added.

"I'll have someone look at it," Weir promised. "Get to the infirmary – and maybe a change of clothes would be in odor – I mean _order_…"

Yeah.

OOOOOOOOOO

The infirmary was bustling, but not hectic. There were only four injured, after all – although Sheppard and Teyla were both being checked out by medical personnel when Melony was ushered into the room. Just in case. Carson wasn't in sight – presumably he was in surgery with Dex – but Rodney McKay had been put to bed in a corner of the room, and Melony glanced over at him.

"How is he?" She asked the lieutenant.

"Who? McKay?"

"No, _General O'Neill_," Melony snapped, her injuries finally taking a toll on her temper. God, she hated stupid questions.

_Be nice_

Before she could reply to Talon, the doctor spoke up.

"He's been knocked out, but everything seems to be in working order. They checked for any internal injuries and any head wounds, but aside from a couple of bruised ribs he's fine. He should be up and around in a day or so."

_Or longer_, Talon said. _Depending on how the room service is here_

Melony smiled.

True enough.

"Good."

Sheppard looked at her, tilting his head when the medic checking him out got in the way.

"How do _you_ feel?"

"About how I look," she admitted. "Weir's going to have someone check out that cat we brought back, but I want you to get a report ready for her – if they don't keep you for some reason."

"He's healthy," the medic said, proving she'd been listening in. "I doubt we'll keep him."

"Hey," John protested. "_I'm_ a keeper."

The medic smiled, but didn't reply. The doctor who was waiting to check Mitchell out, however, had had enough light banter for the time being. He had a patient to see to, after all.

"Bring Colonel Mitchell to bed four," he ordered, gesturing to a bed that actually had a curtain around it for privacy – and to reduce outside noise. "We'll want to get those cuts cleaned as soon as possible."

The corpsmen did as they were told, steering Melony toward the bed in question, but Mitchell looked over her shoulder at Teyla and Sheppard.

"As soon as you hear anything about Dex's condition, I want to hear about it."

Both of them nodded.


	24. 24

"I've never worked on a Tok'ra before…"

Melony scowled, looking at the doctor that was in the process of cleaning out the slash on her hip – one that really hurt.

"You're not filling me with confidence…"

He looked up, startled, and gave her a slightly embarrassed smile.

"I know how to do it," he said. "I meant you're not any different from the others – not physically, anyways. Well, aside from the _symbiote_, of course."

"Of course…"

_No need to be sarcastic_

I'm not.

_Yes, you are_

No, I'm not.

_Are_

Are not.

_And now you're being petulant_

She scowled.

The young doctor saw the expression, and assumed it was aimed at him. And was quick to apologize, since the last person he wanted to offend was Mitchell, who was so far out of his realm of understanding that she might as well be made of solid oatmeal.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

She saw the uncertainty in his expression and felt just a little guilty for being a jerk to him.

"No need to be, Lieutenant. It's fine." She looked down at her bare hip; the slash was from just above her knee and ran all the way up her thigh and across her hip. Red and raw, it would have been incredibly painful if not for the painkilling shot she'd been given – and Talon's help with what the medication didn't cover. "How is it?"

He looked down as well, turning his attention back to what he'd been doing.

"There were pieces of your pant leg in the wound, but I've cleaned that out – as well as some particles of dirt or dust. It _looks_ pretty clean."

"Good."

"Should I stitch it?"

Talon?

_Definitely. I'm not going to be able to keep the skin together while I heal it without some help – the wounds are too deep. Same for your shoulder_

Melony made a wry face, but nodded.

"Talon says yes – all of them."

He nodded, started to say something, but then visibly decided not to.

"It'll take a while…"

"Better get started then."

"Yes, ma'am."

Melony sighed. Where was Carson when she really wanted him?

OOOOOOOOO

"That's a _nasty_ bugger…"

All the medical staff in the operating room stopped what they were doing to take a look at the device that Carson Beckett was holding up with a pair of forceps. It was covered with blood and a few scraps of flesh that had needed to be cut out with it, but he had all of it – and it was impressive. If you were interested in that kind of thing.

"Is it still active?" one of the nurses asked, looking a little nervous. They hadn't really heard the official version of what it was, but the scuttlebutt was that it was Wraith – and that the man who was lying on their operating table was to be taken to a secured recovery room once they were finished working on him. Which meant that the powers that be weren't so certain that he could be trusted.

Carson shrugged, tossing the device into a metal pan.

"I don't know." He was a _doctor_, not Mr. Goodwrench. "Take that to Doctor Weir," he said to one of the corpsmen. "She'll know what to do with it."

He didn't, anyways.

"Yes, sir."

The corpsman left, and Beckett looked back down at the man on his table.

"Let's close this up and then take care of the gashes."

Removing the device had been the quick part. Finding, cleaning and closing all the wounds on his patient was going to take a bit longer.

OOOOOOOOOO

"So he's not from the planet?" Weir asked.

Sheppard shook his head.

"He's from some other world – one that was attacked by the Wraith several years ago. He was captured, tagged with that thing I was telling you about, and then released so the Wraith could track him down again."

Weir frowned.

"I don't understand… why would the Wraith do something like that?"

Sheppard shrugged.

"Because they're not nice?"

She frowned, but before she could say something else, Teyla spoke up.

"He is not the only Runner," the Athosian said, from her spot next to Teal'c. "There have always been rumors of people being captured and implanted with these devices – although I have never before met one. Or anyone who has."

A knock on the door interrupted them, and one of Doctor Beckett's corpsmen appeared at the door, a small metal pan in his hand and his surgical scrubs showing evidence that he had just come from surgery.

"Excuse me, Doctor Weir, Doctor Beckett wanted me to deliver this to you."

She took the pan and looked in it, frowning.

"Is this the device from Ronon Dex?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Teal'c and the others craned for a look.

"It's awfully… _bloody_."

The corpsman nodded.

"We weren't sure if it would short it out if we cleaned it up, so Doctor Beckett decided to just send it as is."

"What are we supposed to do with it?" Sheppard asked.

The corpsman shrugged.

"I was told to bring it to you, that's all…"

Weir nodded.

"Thank you, Airman."

The man nodded and left; glad to be rid of the thing.

"We do not want to deactivate it," Teal'c said. "Colonel Mitchell wishes to use it to draw any other Wraith into traps."

"We can't have them converging here on Atlantis, though," Weir replied.

"So put it in that tub of rocks that McKay brought back from the lava base before we blew it up," Sheppard suggested.

It was hardly a secret that Rodney had wanted to find out what made the lava in the lava base impervious to scanners, probes and other devices. In the lab that he'd pretty much claimed as his own, there was a large container filled with lava samples. With room for one little device to be settled somewhere in the middle of those very rocks.

Weir nodded, understanding immediately. She handed the pan to Sheppard.

"You might put it in a baggy or something before you do, though, Colonel…"

John frowned, looking down at the thing. When did _he_ volunteer to do it?

Weir smiled, waiting for him to argue – and well aware of the fact that she'd win. He scowled; she _would_ win.

"I'll do that…"

"Good. We'll meet again as soon as Carson has something to tell us."


	25. 25

When Rodney McKay came to, he immediately wished that he hadn't. The first thing the astrophysicist was aware of was that he ached. All over. His head was killing him, pounding in time to his heartbeat, his side hurt so bad that it actually hurt him to breathe, and he felt downright terrible. So terrible, in fact, that he couldn't help the groan of pain when he opened his eyes.

Which drew the immediate attention of the people closest to him – one of them being Carson Beckett. He walked over to the bed Rodney was in and looked down at him sympathetically.

"Hurts, I know."

Rodney scowled.

"So _do_ something about it."

"I've done everything I can, Rodney," Beckett told him, patiently. "There's nothing we can do about how much broken ribs hurt. Try to take shallow breaths."

"I broke ribs?"

"A few."

McKay frowned, his expression becoming distant for a moment before he turned to Carson once more.

"What happened?"

"You had a run in with the same cats that everyone else did, apparently. You don't remember?"

"I remember the _cats_…" he trailed off, obviously racking his brain for more memories. "They didn't attack me, though… they attacked Colonel Mitchell and Ronon Dex."

"Aye, that they did," Carson agreed. He'd seen enough blood to know that for certain. "But you don't remember what happened next?"

There was another long pause, but McKay finally shook his head.

"No. What happened?"

Beckett couldn't help but smile.

"I'll let someone else tell you. Right now, I just need for you to get some rest, okay?"

"I'm not sleepy. And I _hurt_," Rodney said, impatiently, telling Carson that even though he didn't remember the last few moments of the fight with the cats, he hadn't lost any of his usual warm mannerisms. "How am I supposed to go back to sleep?"

"I could give you a sedative…"

"I don't _want_ a sedative."

"How about something to eat?"

McKay perked up.

"_Really_? What?"

"Soup."

He deflated immediately, and Carson had to hide the smile.

"I don't want soup." Then he completely changed the subject as he realized something else. "How are the others?"

Beckett turned to face the door that led to the quieter section of the infirmary, where he'd had Melony and Ronon both put so they could rest comfortably. Dex had come through surgery fine, but Carson had put him down with a healthy sedative, and his staff told him that Melony had fallen asleep almost as soon as the last stitch had been put in her shoulder, so she, too, was resting – presumably Talon was working on her injuries while she slept.

"They're going to be all right. I removed the transmitter from your friend's back and closed all the wounds. He'll need some rest, but he'll be fine."

"He's not my friend," Rodney said.

Carson ignored him.

"Melony's going to be fine, too. Thanks to _you_, I hear."

"What?"

"Anyways, I need to go check on them. If you change your mind about the sou-"

"Carson. What do you mean, _thanks to me_?"

Beckett smiled. Why spoil the surprise?

"I'll talk to you later Rodney. Try to get some rest."

"_Carson_." Rodney started to sit up but was stopped short by a stabbing pain that took his breath away. Grumbling under his breath, he fell back into the pillows that supported him, but he scowled at Beckett as the doctor made his way to the other side of the infirmary and vanished through one of the doors.

One of the medics came over – a pretty nurse with a concerned expression that made Rodney lose his scowl. Most of it, anyways.

"You need to lie still," she chided, running her hand along his forehead to check the bandage on his head.

McKay didn't know there even _was_ a bandage. All he knew was that he was being made a fuss over – and he _liked_ it. He leaned back even more, wincing as he jarred those painful ribs once more. Maybe wincing a little much, but hey, he _hurt_, right?

"I'd like some soup…" he said, in a tired voice that was nothing like the voice he'd used when he'd spoken to Beckett. "Please?"

She smiled, not at all fooled, but willing to allow him to play injured – at least for a while. While _he_ didn't know what he'd done, the story had already made its round in the infirmary, and she was impressed by his bravery – even if he didn't _remember_ being brave.

"I'll bring you some, then. You try to rest. Okay?"

He nodded. And wished immediately that he hadn't, since the pain in his head was just as bad as that in his side. Her hand brushed his forehead again, this time without the smile, and then she left him alone to go order some soup.

OOOOOOOOO

There were two guards on the room that held Ronon Dex and Colonel Melony Mitchell. Both were standing outside the door when Beckett entered, and Carson nodded to both of them as he entered, knowing that Sheppard had ordered them to stay put and make sure Dex wasn't going to pose a danger to anyone when he woke up.

At the moment, however, Dex wasn't going anywhere. He was bundled in a warmed bed with several monitors keeping constant vigil on his vital signs, making sure that everything remained normal, bare-chested with bandages covering most of his torso, one deep slash on his left thigh, and one nasty bump on his head.

Carson glanced over at the bed he was in, checked for visible signs that might tell him the man was close to waking, and then checked the monitor. He was still out, and probably would be for some time. Satisfied by that, the doctor moved over to the other bed, and sat down on the edge of it, careful to avoid jarring the sleeping form in it.

Melony didn't move when Carson joined her, but he didn't mind. He was just as glad to give her a chance to sleep and heal. But he wasn't going to let her sleep alone when he could sit with her for a while in peace and quiet, just spending time alone with her.

Unfortunately, that peaceful time only lasted about ten minutes.

The door opened, and Sheppard entered the room, looking first at Dex's bed and then over at Beckett sitting on Mitchell's.

"How are they?" he asked.

"They should both be fine."

"Good."

Carson nodded, but was fairly certain from the look on Sheppard's face that he wasn't finished. Sure enough, the colonel spoke up again.

"Any luck with that cat we brought back?"

Beckett shook his head.

"Not yet. They're still studying it."

"Well… isn't there something we can do to get them to… study it faster?"

Now Carson frowned, annoyed.

"They're doing the best they can, Colonel, but they've only had the thing for a few hours. They're going to need longer than that."

"But-"

"Go away, Colonel," Carson said. "I'll come find you when I have more information for you."

_Bah_.


	26. 26

Humming woke Melony up. It took her a moment of silent listening for her to realize that it wasn't come from outside, but from inside.

Hey. Stop that.

_Stop what?_

The purely innocent question didn't fool her a moment, because she could feel his amusement.

You know what.

_I'm not doing anything_

You're humming.

_No, I'm not_

You _were_.

You _hum_

I don't hum in your head.

_I can't hum anywhere else, Hot Shot_

Well, yeah… that was true. But _still_…

Talon didn't give her a chance to say anything. Amusement aside, he focused his attention on his host.

_How are you feeling?_

You tell me.

_The rest did you good – and me, too. Have Beckett check to make sure the stitches are holding, and as long as you don't make any sudden moves and tear them, you should be more or less ready to go_

Speaking of Carson... Mitchell opened her eyes, intending to figure out where she was so she could get someone to find Carson and maybe see if he had some time to come and see her.

When she opened her eyes, though, she found that it wasn't necessary. Carson was sitting at her bedside – actually sitting _on_ her bed propped up with a pillow and watching her. He smiled when he saw her eyes opening – he'd been aware of the early signs of her waking up and had simply waited for her open her eyes and return to him.

She returned the smile; thanks to Talon, she wasn't feeling any pain from her injuries and didn't even have to pretend that it didn't hurt to keep him from worrying.

"Hey…"

He reached out and touched her cheek lightly.

"Hi. How do you feel?"

"Fine."

"Are you just saying that to keep me from worrying?"

She smiled and shook her head.

"I don't hurt, Carson, and Talon says as long as I don't make any sudden moves, I'm fine to get up."

_Unless he says otherwise_, Talon interjected.

"Unless _you_ say otherwise," Mitchell repeated dutifully.

Beckett smiled, knowing her well enough to know that that qualifier had come directly from Talon.

"No pain?" he asked, looking down at her as if expecting to see blood gushing through her bandages.

She shook her head.

"None."

He leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips, surprising her. But only for a moment. Then she smiled and returned the kiss, her hand resting lightly on his chest as the two of them enjoyed a rare quiet moment. One that didn't last as long as either of them would have liked.

"Hey…"

They broke the kiss at the sound of the new voice and looked over at the other bed in the room. Ronon Dex was awake, sitting up just a little and looking over at them. There was an odd expression on his face, a mixture between confusion and amusement, and Melony flushed just a little at having been caught making out with Carson.

Beckett reddened a little as well, but he was quick to react, squeezing Melony's hand lightly before getting off her bed and going over to the other one.

"Mr. Dex, it's good to see you're awake."

Dex looked up at him, and then over at Mitchell.

"Where am I?"

Melony answered.

"Atlantis. This is Doctor Carson Beckett."

"_Doctor_?"

Carson nodded.

"Aye. They brought you here so I could close your wounds and remove the transmitter from your-"

"The transmitter?" Dex interrupted, his hand moving as if to reach back and check – even though he couldn't reach it. "It's gone?"

Beckett nodded again.

"Aye."

"Where is it?" Melony asked, before Dex could say anything. "Did they tell you that I wanted to-"

"It's still working," Carson assured her. "Colonel Sheppard put it in the container that Rodney put his rocks from the lava base in."

"Good idea." She hadn't even considered that – although that didn't mean that she wouldn't have if she'd been feeling a little better when she arrived.

Beckett smiled, but his attention was still on Dex.

"We removed the transmitter, Mr. Dex, and stitched you up. A couple of days in bed, and you'll be good as new."

"Better, even," Melony added.

"You're _sure_ it's gone?" Ronan asked, looking as though he couldn't believe what he was hearing – or was too afraid to hope that it was true.

Carson nodded.

"It's gone."

Dex looked like he didn't know what to say, and Melony understood completely. Luckily, Carson did as well, and he patted Dex's shoulder.

"I'll give you a few minutes…"

Without waiting for an answer, he turned and walked over to Melony's bed, leaned over and kissed her lightly once more.

"I'll be right back."

Mitchell nodded. She'd have left, too, but she really didn't feel like getting out of bed just yet. Carson glanced over at Dex, who had his eyes closed, and then left the room.


	27. 27

Dex looked over at Mitchell as Carson closed the door behind him. There was an amused gleam in his eyes, even with the strange surroundings and the injuries he'd acquired.

"Friend of yours, I take it?"

Melony smiled, and shrugged, careful not to rip her stitches.

"Nah, I barely know him. We're just a friendly group of people."

He hesitated, looking uncertain, but Melony's smile broadened.

"I'm just messing with you. He and I are definitely more than just _friends_."

A hint of a smile crossed Ronon's expression.

"I'm glad to hear that."

_Mainly because he's next in being greeted?_

Melony didn't reply to Talon. Instead, she spoke to Dex.

"He's a good doctor. One of the best I've met."

"But you might be a little biased?"

"Maybe."

Ronon shrugged.

"No matter. If he _did_ remove the transmitter like he says he did, then I owe him."

There was a few moments of silence between them; Melony giving him time to get used to the idea of no longer being on the run from the Wraith.

_It'll probably take some getting used to, I imagine_, Talon told her without his usual dry humor.

Yeah.

"What happened?" He asked, finally, looking over at her once more. "How did we get here?"

"What do you remember?"

Melony wasn't sure what he'd seen and what he hadn't – since at that time she'd been a little preoccupied.

Dex shrugged.

"Getting ambushed by that cat…"

"There was more than one," Mitchell told him. "Three at least – maybe more that didn't join the fight."

"How did-"

"I had to send a couple of my guys back here before I met up with you. Doctor Weir – who is the leader of the expedition here – decided that I'd need some back up, and called in the Jaffa, who arrived pretty much at the nick of time. It wasn't looking good for a while there."

Ronon believed that.

"You mentioned the Jaffa before…" This was more of a question than anything, and Melony nodded.

"You'll have a chance to meet them – some of them, anyways. There are some here." She paused, because she didn't want him to have too many surprises thrown at him at one time. For one thing, people with surprises tended to get edgy wondering what else might be coming, and since they didn't know anything about him, she didn't want him to be surprised.

_Not to mention it's not a bad idea to let him know that the Jaffa are impressive and not a group of people to screw with – given the way we were introduced to him_

You mean kidnapping and imprisonment? She asked, amused.

_Exactly. Now stop talking to me and turn your attention to him before he thinks you're crazy – or just attention deficit_

"There are a few things you need to know about the Jaffa before you meet them," she said, taking Talon's advice.

"Such as?"

Yeah. How to describe the Jaffa to someone who'd never met them…?

"They don't really have any sense of humor…"

Dex frowned, uncertain what that was supposed to mean.

"Okay…"

"They're a warrior race…" she said. "I think I mentioned that before?"

"Yes."

"Just keep that in mind, alright? I don't want any misunderstandings before you get a chance to know each other."

Dex was quiet, thinking that through, and Mitchell was relieved when he finally nodded, seeing the wisdom behind that.

"They sound like an interesting group."

"They are. But they're-"

She was interrupted by the door opening, and Carson peeking his head in. When he saw that both of them were still awake, he stepped into the room, looking at Dex.

"Are you feeling up to some company?"

Dex shrugged. He was going to have to meet the leaders of this group of people eventually. The sooner the better, as far as he was concerned.

"Sure."

Carson turned back to the door, and motioned to someone outside the room. A moment later, Elizabeth Weir walked in.

She smiled at Melony.

"Colonel Mitchell."

Melony nodded a greeting, understanding that her role would be to make the introductions.

"Doctor Weir. May I present Specialist Ronon Dex? Ronon, this is Doctor Elizabeth Weir, the leader of the Atlantis expedition. She's in charge of things around here."

Weir nodded her head in greeting to Dex, who returned the gesture.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Dex?" Elizabeth asked.

"Fine, thank you," Ronon replied.

The door opened again, and this time Teyla, Sheppard and Teal'c entered the room, looking at Ronon with varying degrees of interest. Sheppard had an unreadable look on his face, Teyla had a slight smile of greeting, and Teal'c looked as impassive as a slab of granite.

Weir turned to the others.

"I understand you've met Colonel Sheppard and Teyla," she said as diplomatically as she could. "This is Teal'c."

Ronon was already watching Teal'c. Like Teyla and several of the Athosians had before, Ronon had noticed that Melony had a stronger life force about her when he'd first met her. The other humans in the group – including Teyla – didn't. This huge, unsmiling, dark man that he'd just been introduced to was the same. They didn't look alike, but they were definitely related in some fashion – because he'd seen a lot of different species, and none of them were like these two.

Teal'c gave Dex a slight nod, taking a measure of the man as he did so. The Jaffa didn't trust this man – especially after he heard what had happened with Sheppard's group being taken captive – and even though Teyla had shrugged that off when she'd spoken to Teal'c about him, telling him about Runners and what she knew of them.

"Where's McKay?" Melony asked, breaking the silence.

"He took some minor injuries," Carson told her as he walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed, turning so he could watch everyone in the room. "We're taking care of him."

"He'll be okay?"

"He already is," Sheppard assured her.

Melony looked at Carson, who nodded his agreement. The Astrophysicist was the center of attention in the main ward of the infirmary and was lapping up the attention, even though he had no clue why everyone was so impressed with him – and no one had bothered to explain it to him.


	28. 28

Weir took command of the impromptu meeting.

"I'm sorry to intrude on you when you're probably not feeling all that great, Mr. Dex," she said, moving over to stand where both bedridden people could see her. "But there are a few things we need to take care of, and I would like to get them taken care of as soon as possible."

"Such as?"

"Such as the device that Doctor Beckett here took out of your back. Teyla has explained to me what she believes it was used for…"

Dex looked over at Teyla, who saw the question in his expression and spoke up.

"I have told you before that you are not the only Runner I have heard of – merely the only one I have ever actually met. I told Doctor Weir as much as I know from the rumors and stories that have circulated."

"Yes," Weir said. "But I'd like to hear it from _you_, please. If for no other reason than because things can easily get mixed up when coming from a second party – if you don't mind?"

Dex shook his head.

"I don't mind."

He went on to explain to her and Teal'c what the Wraith had done to him just like he'd told the others before, and Melony listened with just as much disbelief as she had the first time.

_I don't know why you're so surprised by their actions_, Talon told her. _You know what kind of beings they were_

I just can't imagine how he could have managed.

_He did what he had to in order to survive_

And she knew that Talon admired that in him. Talon was already impressed with Ronon Dex, and Melony knew her symbiote wanted the man to stay on in Atlantis where they could put his abilities to use.

First things first, though. They had to get him on his feet, and then give him the chance to go home. Who knew who was waiting for him back home? Probably his family all thought he was dead. He might even have a wife and kids, for all they knew.

If he does, I won't ask him to stay.

_I know_

And she _shouldn't_. Talon agreed with that, of course.

As they had this discussion, Dex was finishing his story, and Weir frowned. Not a look of annoyance, but one of confusion.

"You've been running for 7 years?"

"Sometimes," he said. "Other times, I fought back, ambushing those chasing me. That would give me some time, because it would take a while for the Wraith to decide their hunting parties weren't coming back and to send more."

"What did you do in that time?" Sheppard asked, curiously.

"Tried to find a way to get rid of that damned transmitter."

Duh.

"Well, it's gone, now," Beckett said, from where he'd been seated at the foot of Melony's bed in a somewhat impersonal position and pose. "I'm all for destroying the thing to make sure-"

"No."

This was from Melony and Dex at the same time. Melony spoke, first.

"I _want_ that thing, Carson," she said, looking at him and then at Weir and wondering if anyone had mentioned her idea of using the device to bring the Wraith to her to ambush them. "It's a convenient way of finding any Wraith that might be left-"

"You don't know that they're going to track it," Sheppard said.

"There was a Wraith on the planet looking for him," Mitchell said, as if that said everything – which it did.

"More than one," Dex added. "I killed one and you found one in that tree."

"More than that," Beckett said. "The xenobiologists that are working on the remains of the cat you brought in have been finding some very interesting results."

"Like what?" Melony asked – even though everyone else in the room looked like they'd been about to ask the same question.

"They don't have a control creature to compare this one to," Carson said, "So it could be a bit off, of course, but the muscle mass on the cat you killed is at least six times more dense than that of any large cat from Earth. The hearts and lungs are larger, as well – as are several other organs, and the brain seems to be too large for the skull."

"Meaning?" Sheppard asked.

"Meaning something happened to it to change its physiology – something that happened so suddenly that the cat itself didn't have a chance to evolve around that change. If they could get _another_ cat – a normal one – to compare it to they could be more certain what the exact differences are – and maybe even -"

Weir frowned.

"I'm not sending anyone back there – not right _now_, anyways."

"Makes you wonder, though," Melony said, not to anyone in particular.

Teal'c looked over at her.

"You believe that the felines consumed a Wraith?"

"Or _more_ than one," Mitchell said, shrugging. "It might explain why the villagers on the planet didn't even bother to warn us about the cats when we headed into the woods." She looked at Sheppard. "Did they mention them to you?"

He shook his head.

"Only mentioned that there was something in the forest."

"And they were surprised by our story about being attacked by the one we brought back," Melony added. "It's possible that eating a Wraith could do something to the cats that did it."

"It'd do something to me," Sheppard said, looking a little ill at the thought.

Weir looked at Carson.

"What do you think?"

The doctor shrugged.

"It's all speculation."

"Worth checking out?"

"If you ask the xenobiologists, it is."

"And if I asked _you_?"

"I'd be interested in knowing… this is the first time we've ever heard of anything actually eating a Wraith."

"Kinda poetic, huh?" Sheppard asked, dryly.

Weir hesitated, and finally shrugged.

"Let's get back to the tracking device," she said, well aware that they'd strayed from the original topic. "You think the device can bring more Wraith?"

Mitchell nodded.

"And I want to use that against them."

"I do, too," Dex said, quickly, unwilling to be left out of any retribution. He was the one who had been chased for the last seven years, after all.

Beckett looked over at him, and easily read the determination in his expression. He also noticed that the conversation had taken its toll on the injured man. Dex looked tired – whether he'd ever admit it or not. But he didn't have to, because that was Carson's job.

"There isn't anything we can do just now," Beckett said, standing up. "We'll have to wait and get more test results from the xenobiologists. Until then, we should let these two get some rest."

Which was an order thinly veiled as a request, and all of them knew it – including Mitchell and Dex.

Weir nodded, and gestured for the others to head for the door.

"We'll finish this later," she said, smiling. "Until then, do what Doctor Beckett says and you'll be out of here in no time."


	29. 29

"Why do _you_ get to leave and I don't?"

"Because Carson said I could."

"But I'm-"

"You're still weak and I've heard you groaning whenever you roll over in your sleep, so I _know_ you're still in pain." Melony smiled. "As long as you're in this infirmary, you're going to have to do what Carson tells you."

Dex scowled, glaring at her, but Mitchell was far from cowed by that stare. She'd faced worse, after all.

"I could get up whenever I wanted to," Dex told her, crossing his arms across his chest – and wincing when he pulled the stitches in his shoulder with the motion.

"I wouldn't advise it."

"Beckett isn't _that_ big."

Melony hesitated, for the first time uncertain if he was being serious or not, and definitely not willing to allow an unveiled threat towards Carson – especially when she wasn't going to be there all the time to keep an eye on things.

Ronon noticed the hesitation, and figured out what caused it immediately. He'd only been in this infirmary for a day, now, but he was observant and it was hard to miss the relationship between Mitchell and the doctor. And while he'd already figured out that Carson Beckett wasn't a military man, he'd seen Mitchell in action and knew that she wasn't one to mess with – at least not feeling as lousy as he did.

"Relax," he said, leaning back into the soft pillow. "I wasn't serious."

She nodded, accepting that, and ran her hand along the arm of her clean uniform.

"Carson said he'll release you tomorrow. There are a few things we still need to talk about, but it'll wait until then, so you're not at the disadvantage of being in bed."

Dex nodded as well.

"Fine."

"I'll see you later. I have a date with a shower."

With that reminder that he was still stuck getting sponge baths, she left the room, whistling cheerfully to herself.

"That wasn't nice…" he muttered to himself as the door closed behind her.

OOOOOOOOO

"Ah, Colonel Mitchell! Out of bed so soon?"

Melony changed direction at McKay's call, and headed for his bed, where he was lounging, the remains of his dinner on a tray on the table beside his bed. While Carson had told her that Rodney was probably more than healthy enough to leave the infirmary, McKay didn't seem to be in any hurry to go. Of course, he was being waited on – more or less – in the infirmary, and he didn't have any pressing projects to get back to in his lab, so there wasn't any reason for him to go.

"Carson released me an hour ago," she told him. "How are you feeling?"

Since Rodney now knew (Weir had taken pity on him and told him) what he'd done and that he'd personally saved Melony's life by putting his own in jeopardy jumping on the back of the cat that had attacked her, McKay couldn't help but put on a slightly pained expression.

"Oh, I'm okay… a slight headache, but nothing more. I'll be up and about any day now."

She nodded, hiding her smile.

"Well, don't rush things…"

"I won't."

_Oh, there's an understatement_

She snorted, unprepared for Talon's sarcastic comment, and hid it with a cough.

"I'd better go get something to drink. I'll see you later."

"Yeah."

Rodney watched as she turned and left the infirmary, and then tossed his blankets back, standing up and watching the door to make sure that she wasn't coming back. Certain that she hadn't forgotten something, he straightened his clothing and headed for the small room on the other side of the infirmary, slipping through the door while no one was watching.

OOOOOOOOO

Dex looked up when the door opened, an eyebrow coming up when he saw McKay come into the room, looking for all the world as if he were sneaking in. He didn't say anything, though, as McKay closed the door behind him and turned to look at him.

"Hi."

Dex frowned.

"Hello."

McKay came over and sat down on the bed Melony had been stuck in the last day.

"I was hoping to have a chance to talk to you."

"You're talking to me now."

"Yes." McKay hesitated, though, gathering his thoughts. While he wasn't – quite – as injured as he was letting people believe that he was, his head did hurt, and it took him a moment to try and come up with a diplomatic way to open the conversation. Not that diplomacy was normally something Rodney cared about, but Ronon Dex was large and imposing, and no more someone that McKay wanted to annoy than he would want to irritate Teal'c. So he decided to beat around the bush, instead of simply asking him about why he thought the Wraith would want to chase him for seven years. He looked around the room. "I see Colonel Mitchell was released…"

Dex nodded.

"Yes."

"Not surprising, really…"

"Why do you say that?" Dex asked, curious despite the fact that he was certain that McKay didn't want to talk about Mitchell. Dex did, so he was more than willing to accept the obviously evasive comment.

Just as McKay was glad to have something to tal kabout to break the ice with.

"Because of Talon, of course," he said, shrugging. "She always heals quickly."

Ronon frowned.

"Talon?"

"Sure."

"Who is Talon?" He wasn't even sure if Talon was actually a person, but the way McKay was speaking of him made him decide he must be.

"Colonel Mitchell's symbiote, of course," Rodney said, sounding a bit smug about knowing something that Dex didn't. Of course, Ronon didn't know that McKay _always_ sounded smug.

"Symbiote?"

Dex felt stupid repeating everything McKay was saying, but he was so confused he couldn't help it.

"You haven't heard about Talon, yet?"

Dex shook his head, and Rodney reached over and took a cup of pudding from the tray on Ronon's bedside table.

"Get comfortable," he said, taking up a spoon. "It's a long story."

And Rodney loved to tell it.


	30. 30

Carson Beckett gave the silent form he was holding a gentle kiss before reluctantly releasing her and sliding out of bed. Despite her weariness, the action woke Melony immediately. Mostly.

"Carson…?"

It was the sleepy mumble of someone who had no desire to wake up any time soon, and Beckett knew there was no reason for her to. He pulled the body-warmed blankets up around her, covering her warmly, and kissed her again.

"Shhh… go back to sleep."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm just going to go check on things," he whispered, softly, unable to stop his fingers from running through her silky blonde hair. "I'll be back soon."

"Want me to come?" she asked, her eyes still closed. Despite the fact that she was healing nicely, she wasn't completely there yet. The only reason Carson had released her from the infirmary was Talon. And maybe because he wanted to have some alone time with her. But he wouldn't admit _that_.

"No…" he told her, still whispering because he was hoping it would lull her back to sleep. "I want you to get some rest…"

"You'll be back?"

"Right away."

She nodded into her pillow.

"Come get me if you need me…"

"I will."

He watched as she drifted off once more, and then left his quarters, closing the door softly behind him.

OOOOOOOO

"Just the man we were hoping to see."

The two scientists came through the door of the infirmary only moments after Carson himself had. Beckett had noticed immediately that McKay's bed was empty and had headed that direction when he'd been interrupted. He turned and waited as Zalenka and Kavanaugh walked over to him.

"What's up?"

"We just finished our last tests on that cat," Zalenka said. "And we thought you might be interested in hearing what we found out."

"It's fascinating," Kavanaugh added.

Kavanaugh had changed a lot in the last couple of months. Carson knew what had initiated that change – although most people on Atlantis didn't – and he was actually coming to like the scientist now that he wasn't being such an asshole to the people around him. He didn't trust him with his life or anything, but most of the smug mannerisms were gone, and he didn't question Weir any more – for that matter, he rarely questioned anyone. At least when it came to their authority. Scientific questions were another matter completely.

"What did you find out?" Carson asked, curious.

"The thing definitely fed on a Wraith sometime recently," Zalenka said.

"Are you certain?"

Both men nodded.

"The DNA didn't completely break down in the cat's system," Kavanaugh said. "Its own cells are laced with Wraith DNA."

"Probably the cat's body turned the proteins into amino acids and those amino acids are what spread the Wraith contaminate."

"In all parts of it," Kavanaugh added. "Including the brain."

Beckett frowned.

"That's impossible."

"You know better than that, Doctor Beckett," Zalenka said. "We've seen so many crazy things here, I don't think there is such a thing as impossible any more."

Carson had to admit that was true, but still…

"It didn't mesh with the cat's brain waves, though," Kavanaugh said. "Most likely, the addition of the Wraith DNA is why they're so much more aggressive – not because a Wraith is more aggressive, but because it undoubtedly was going mad – whether it was an instant thing, or it took a while…"

"And all the others agree with this?" Carson asked, curiously. He was willing to admit that it sounded conceivable. They didn't know all that much about the consequences of eating a Wraith – why would they even think something would _eat_ one? – and the more he considered it, the more he thought that was probably the case. Of course, he was well aware that he'd been distracted taking care of Melony and Dex, so he would go along with what the others – who were just as bright as he was – came up with.

Both Zalenka and Kavanaugh nodded.

"Have you spoken to Doctor Weir about it?"

Kavanaugh hesitated an instant before shaking his head. Zalenka didn't hesitate, but he, too, shook his head.

"We thought we'd wait until the others were up on their feet before giving a complete report," Zalenka said. "That would give us time to repeat all the tests."

Not to mention Kavanaugh never went anywhere near Weir. The only time they were in the same room was when Weir happened to walk into a room he was in. While he never told anyone why, Carson was certain Melony had something to do with it.

"Very well," Carson said, his attention caught by the door to the room Dex was in opening and Rodney McKay coming out, looking smug. "I'll have everyone out of bed by morning. I'm sure Doctor Weir will want a report as soon as possible after that."

"Okay."

"I'll have someone contact you – or you contact us…"

Carson was distracted, now, and it showed. Both of the scientists simply assumed it was because he was worried about Colonel Mitchell, so neither was offended by it. Indeed, Zalenka decided that they might as well get out of his hair so that he could get back to work.

"We'll do that," he said, gesturing for Kavanaugh to head for the door. "I'll send you copies of the results if you'd like…?"

"Aye, that'd be great, thanks."

The two left and Carson turned towards McKay, who had reached his bed and was starting to sit down.

"What were you doing in there?" he asked without ceremony, coming over and frowning down at his patient.

McKay gave him an innocent look.

"In _where_?"

Carson's frown turned into an annoyed scowl.

"You know what I'm talking about, Rodney."

"What?" McKay said, aware he wasn't fooling anyone. "I was just… making friends…"

"Stay in your bed, Rodney," Beckett said. "Or I'll strap you to it. I mean it."


	31. 31

It was a very unsteady Ronon Dex who got out of bed the next day. He was still pale and it was obvious that it hurt to move, but he insisted that he was all right, and was unwilling to stay in bed any longer – especially since there were other things on his mind now that the tracking device had been removed from him and he was free to return home for the first time in seven years.

Beckett gave him a thorough check up before allowing him to get up, and had to admit he was impressed at the man's fortitude. The Jaffa – and of course Melony – healed quickly because of their symbiotes, but Dex was just bearing the pain and trying his best to ignore how much those barely healed gashes hurt, and he was going to get out of bed on pretty much sheer determination. If not for the fact that he seemed to have plenty of it and didn't look at all ready to fall on his face, Carson never would have allowed him out of bed that morning.

His clothing had been cleaned and repaired, so he was able to dress in his own gear after Beckett changed the bandages, and with a couple of muffled groans he slung his holster onto his hip, arming himself once more with his formidable handgun. Carson watched him intently, looking for any sign that he wouldn't be able to stay on his feet for any long period of time, but he had to nod when Dex looked over at him questioningly.

"We're having breakfast in the commissary," Carson told him as they headed for the door to the little room. "It's really just a cafeteria, but the military types call it the commissary, so it pretty much stuck. Doctor Weir and the others will be joining us."

Dex nodded.

"You're not military?"

"Oh, no."

"Mitchell is."

"Aye."

"And Weir?"

"No."

Dex fell silent, concentrating on the city around him as they walked slowly down the hallway. As they walked, they passed a window, and Ronon stopped to look out it, the amazement on his face almost comical – except that Carson was always impressed by the view out the windows as well.

"How high up are we?"

"Several hundred feet."

"Is it water all around?"

Beckett nodded.

"Aye. There is a continent over the horizon, but it's a long way out."

Dex shook his head, craning his neck for a better look at what little he could see of the other parts of the city from that window.

"How did you ever build this…?"

"We didn't," Carson said. He smiled when Ronon looked over at him, and gestured for them to continue walking. "It's a long story. One that you can hear another time. Right now, the others are waiting for us – and you need something to eat."

Dex didn't argue. He was hungry, and already wanted to get off his feet – even though he wasn't about to tell the doctor that.

OOOOOOOOOOO

It was a fair sized group sitting around one of the large tables in the commissary when they walked in several minutes later. All of them looked up with varying degrees of welcome in their expressions as he sat down, taking the open spot beside Sheppard.

"How are you feeling?" Elizabeth asked him as John poured him a cup of coffee.

"Fine, thank you."

He didn't exactly _look_ fine, Weir decided as he carefully tried a sip of the drink Sheppard handed him. But he looked better than he had the day before, and Carson had allowed him out of bed, so he couldn't be doing too badly.

"Breakfast?" Mitchell asked, smiling a greeting to Carson when he sat down beside her. Melony looked as good as she was feeling. A good night's rest, coupled with a long shower, a pot of coffee and a huge breakfast had done wonders for her.

_With a little help_, Talon said.

Well, _yeah_.

"Yes."

They watched as Ronon tested the sugar; found it was what he thought it was, and poured a generous helping into his coffee, stirring it with his knife. While he was doing that – and Melony was hiding her repugnance to him ruining a perfectly good cup of coffee with sugar – one of the mess men brought over a plate filled with scrambled eggs, fried potatoes and toast.

"Here you are, sir," he said, handing it to Dex, who took it with a nod of thanks.

"I hope you don't mind talking while you eat," Elizabeth said as Dex fell into his meal with enthusiasm. "But there is a lot to discuss."

"No."

She smiled. He was far more interested in his meal just then than he was in chatting it up, obviously, but she didn't mind – and she decided he probably hadn't had a lot of fresh, hot meals recently.

"What are your plans, Ronon?" Melony asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

He looked over.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I'm going to do with that device we got from you…" she said. "And you showed an interest in it as well. But there is also the fact that you're free to do anything you want to now – without worrying about the Wraith following you."

"Like go home and let your family know you're alive and well," Sheppard said.

Dex hesitated, but then he nodded. While there were other things he wanted to do – including be in on the ambushes that Mitchell had mentioned before – he _did_ want to go home and check on what little he had for family and friends. He didn't even know who had survived the Wraith attack, after all.

"I'd like to go home," he said. "Long enough to check on things there."

Weir smiled.

"We can arrange that as soon as you're feeling up to it."

Dex nodded his thanks, and looked at Mitchell.

"What are _you_ going to do?" He asked. Fair was fair, after all, and she'd asked first.

"I'm going to take some people back to that forest and see if we can find more of those cats before I do anything else," she said.

"Why?"

"Because they're killing villagers."

"You're not there anymore. Why would you care?"

"We might want to go back some day," Sheppard said. "It'd be helpful if there were still people there."

"Besides," Carson said, "we know that the cats fed off at least one Wraith – and we want to study them."

"It sounds like a good way to get killed."

Look what had happened the last time, after all.

Melony shrugged.

"They won't sneak up on us next time," she assured him. "I plan on bringing in plenty of help."


	32. 32

"Back up?" Sheppard repeated.

It was Teal'c who answered, though. The First Prime well aware of what Mitchell was planning.

"How better to find a cat than with a dog?"

Everyone looked at him with varying degrees of understanding, but Dex was still watching Mitchell, his expression clearly showing he didn't have a clue what she meant.

"We're going to ask for help from some allies of ours," Melony explained. "They have a peculiar ability to transform themselves into very large wolf-like creatures, and might be exactly what we need to help track down any more of these cats."

"Presuming they're willing to help," Weir said, smiling despite the words. She was well aware that the Light Ones would come if Mitchell asked them to. And there was no doubt that Kale would be with them – she hoped.

"They'll help," Rodney said, shrugging. "They live for that kind of thing – helping humans and all that."

"They aren't human?" Dex asked, interested.

"Nope."

"They look human, though," Sheppard said, quickly. "They're just tall…"

"And naked," Rodney added.

Melony shook her head; not at all surprised that McKay was the one who had added that little detail. Talon snorted as well, causing her to smile.

"They sound… interesting…" Ronon said, uncertainly. "I'd like to meet them."

Melony nodded.

"That won't be a problem. It'll probably take them a couple of days to respond to our request, and that should give you time to go home and check in with your people and let them know that you're alive. If you're interested in coming with us to hunt for cats, you can just come back…"

"That's fine," Dex agreed.

"But you can't go anywhere today," Carson said. He hadn't missed the fact that Ronon was drooping a fair bit. "Today you spend resting and gaining your strength back."

He looked like he was going to argue, but he glanced at Melony for a moment, and then back to the doctor. And nodded.

"Okay."

Surprised that he wasn't going to get more of an argument, Carson smiled.

"A bit more rest will have you feeling far better than you'll know."

"That's what I'm going to do today, too," Mitchell said, standing up. She looked at Weir. "Would you mind sending a message off to Kale?"

"Not at all."

"Thanks. If you need me, I'll be in my quarters."

She was still a bit beat up, too, after all, and could use some time in bed.

_Alone_?

Hush.

Luckily, she was more than used to comments like that coming from Talon, so she wasn't even blushing when she left the room.

OOOOOOOOO

"Colonel Mitchell?"

Melony looked over her shoulder and saw one of Lieutenant Ford's men standing at the door to the gym. He saluted, since he was wearing a sidearm, and Melony returned it.

_Kline_

Thanks.

"Yes, Corporal?"

"Colonel Sheppard asked me to come get you, ma'am. He's in Stargate Operations."

Mitchell frowned, wondering if the Light Ones had answered already. It was the morning after they'd sent the message, and it seemed like it was too soon for a reply, but maybe they'd been hanging out with the Farmers when the message was sent.

_If that was it, Weir would have sent for you, not Sheppard_

Good point.

"Tell him I'm on my way, Corporal. Thank you."

The corporal saluted, Melony returned it, and the young man took off at a trot.

She looked back at the people who were working out in the room. It wasn't her self defense class; this one was being taught by a couple of the Jaffa – who were intimidating enough that even the cocky Marines in Atlantis were willing to listen to what they were being told. She'd just been watching to see if there was anything she could do to help. Of course, there wasn't. The Jaffa were competent instructors when they wanted to be – and these Jaffa were some of the best instructors that Teal'c had.

"I'll be back in a bit," she told Duck, who had been watching the lesson as well – and participating when given the opportunity.

"Yes, ma'am."

OOOOOOOOO

There was a fair-sized group of people standing in front of the main monitors when Mitchell walked into the room. All of them were looking at the monitors, and even though none were facing her, she could feel the tension in the room.

"What's up?" She asked, crossing the room and looking at the monitors as well. What she saw was a picture of what looked like a ransacked city, leveled more or less and pretty much in ruins.

_There's no smoke, so it's not recent_

Yeah.

Sheppard turned at the sound of her voice, as did Ronon Dex, whose expression was bleak.

"We have a problem," John said.

Melony looked at the screen again, and then at Dex. It didn't take a genius to connect the dots.

"That's your home?"

He nodded.

"They say it is."

"It's the address he gave us," Weir confirmed.

"Looks like Wraith…" Sheppard said. They'd seen plenty of other cities that looked just as bad – although now that the Wraith were gone it was going to happen less frequently.

"Yeah." She could see that. She looked at Dex again. "There might be survivors. Let's go check it out."

Wordlessly, he nodded, but his expression plainly said he didn't expect there to be anything alive in that mess. Unfortunately, Melony was in total agreement.


	33. 33

It was just as desolate from the air as the pictures from the probe showed it to be from the ground. They came through the gate in one of the puddle jumpers, Sheppard at the controls and Dex sitting in the copilot seat to get the best view. Unfortunately, there just wasn't anything positive to see.

"We'll swing around at a high altitude pass over the poles," Sheppard said into the silence of the small group that had come on the reconnaissance. "That way we can check the other cities as well…"

Dex merely nodded, his eyes glued on the ground under them.

The planet wasn't all that large, but there had been several fair sized cities on it. All of them now destroyed and literally left in rubble. There were several forests under them, and a couple of fairly large mountain ranges near one of the larger cities, but the jumper's sensors didn't pick up any life signs as they flew over, scanning.

"Any chance the population might be hiding somewhere that the sensors can't find them?" Mitchell asked, watching the heads-up display. "Caves, or something like that?"

Ronon shook his head.

"Land there," he said, pointing down at the city that was closest to the Stargate. This was the first one they'd flown over, and the one that Melony was pretty sure had been his home. From the silence of the others, they had assumed the same thing.

Sheppard did as he was told, setting the jumper down easily in the middle of what might have been a town square or something like that. Now it was just a clearing in the middle of a large pile of rubble.

Dex was on his feet before Sheppard even had the engines powered down. Mitchell, Teyla and Ford all joined him at the ramp, and when he was finished with the shutdown, John joined him as well. Rodney sighed, looking out the front view screen of the jumper from where he was sitting. He could tell them all already that there was no sense even bothering to get out. There weren't any life forms, and nothing short of cockroaches could be living in this place. Look at it, after all! But he knew that they wouldn't have listened to him even if he'd said anything. So he got out of his seat and joined them as the ramp came down, and the bright sunlight filled the jumper with light.

"Lead the way," Mitchell said to Dex. She wasn't carrying a staff weapon or a P90. Her Beretta was in one holster, and a zat was in the other, and she honestly hadn't thought she'd need anything more than that. Especially since the others were all armed.

Dex nodded, looking around as if trying to get his bearings, and then he led them off towards the southern quadrant of the city, his steps steady, but hesitant, as if he knew he was simply prolonging the inevitable.

Which he was, of course.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

"There's nothing _here_…" Rodney said. _Again_.

They'd been walking through what had once been streets for several hours, and McKay was hot, tired and sweaty. He wasn't the only one, but he _was_ the only one complaining. The others watched more or less silently as Ronon Dex led them through the streets, occasionally stopping at a certain pile of rubble and picking through it. They didn't know what he was looking for and they didn't ask. Instead, they watched, standing guard on the off chance that something unexpected happened but knowing full well that there wasn't anything or anyone on the planet that would come magically stumbling out of one of the ruined buildings.

Mitchell looked over at him, hushing him with a glance, and McKay sighed. _Again_.

Ronon had heard him, however, and he, too, looked over.

"You can go back."

Rodney made a face. He knew he could, but there wasn't any point to it. There wasn't anything to do on the jumper, either.

"We will _stay_," Teyla said, giving McKay a disgusted look.

Ronan just shrugged, and went back to staring at the ruins of what had once been a fairly large building.

_Maybe where he lived_? Talon said.

Maybe.

Melony walked over to stand beside him.

"There's always the chance that some survived, you know." She told him softly.

He shook his head.

"I would have heard if there were people from my world on other planets…"

"Not necessarily. You've been on the run, remember? When would you have had a chance to hear anything like that?"

It was a good point, and it made him hesitate.

"I don't know…"

"You can't be the only person left," she said. "The Wraith weren't that thorough when they attacked. They always left some people behind, right? Those people might have just decided to go elsewhere…"

He shrugged, looking off into the ruins.

"I always just assumed that when I managed to free myself of the hunters I'd be able to come home and…" He trailed off, looking around.

"And find everything the way it had been…?"

"Yeah."

They were quiet for a long time, while the others waited – and Rodney fidgeted. Finally, Dex spoke. So softly that only Melony heard him.

"They'll pay."

She understood the fury in his voice quite well. Who better to understand the need for revenge, after all?

"They already did…"

He gave her a sharp look, realized that she was right, and then in his anger decided that wasn't enough and dismissed that entirely.

"There are others. We know that they're not all dead."

"True."

"They will be, though," he said, fiercely, and now the others could hear him just fine as well. "I want your help."

"To do what?"

"What you're already planning on doing," he said. "I want to lure the Wraith into traps and make the rest of them pay for what they've-"

"You're the reason we have the means to lure them, Ronon," Mitchell said, interrupting. "You are more than welcomed to come along and see this thing through to the end."

"No matter how long it takes?"

"Yes."

He nodded, looking back at the ruins, and Melony spoke again with a nudge from Talon.

"Your people might not all be dead. There's always a hope we can find a trace of them somewhere else. Someone must know of survivors – they must be somewhere. While you help us with the Wraith, we'll help you look for any sign of your people."

"You'd do that?"

She nodded – as did Teyla and Sheppard. Which surprised him, because they were the ones with the most reason to be unwilling to help him with anything. Hadn't he taken them captive, after all? But he couldn't just give his allegiance so easily, even when it only made sense that he did.

"I'll… think about it."

She nodded again.

"You do that."


	34. 34

It was a quiet group that returned to Atlantis. Mostly in deference to the fact that Ronon hadn't spoken and they were letting him have a moment of his own. When Sheppard landed the jumper, however, one of the Marines was standing at the entrance to the bay, waiting for them. Since Mitchell outranked Sheppard – even though he was the commanding officer of the military units in Atlantis – he saluted and reported to her.

"Doctor Weir's compliments, Colonel. The Light Ones arrived while you were gone, and she'd like to know when you want to meet with them."

"The Light Ones?" Dex repeated, looking at her.

"The naked aliens we were telling you about," Rodney explained, before Melony could say anything.

"Do you know where Doctor Weir is?" Mitchell asked.

The man nodded.

"She and the Light Ones are in the lounge."

"That's where we'll head then. Thank you, Sergeant."

As the Marine left, she looked over at Dex.

"You don't have to come if you're not feeling-"

"I'll come." He interrupted.

She nodded, and they turned as a group and headed for the corridor that led towards the lounge – which was really just a large room that held several couches and a couple of video screens to watch movies or relax in – although it was also used as a poker room at times, as well.

As they walked, she reminded Dex that the visitors may or may not be clothed – just to save him from being surprised – and told him a brief history of the race, and how they'd met. Just the barest bones, however, since they didn't have a lot of time to discuss it. She could tell he was pretty skeptical about their ability to change forms when they reached the lounge – and she didn't blame him. It was something he'd just have to see to believe, after all – like the rest of them had.

When the door opened, she immediately spotted the Light Ones in the small crowd. It wasn't difficult, after all. They were lighter complexioned than anyone else in the room – only Melony had lighter hair and eyes – and they towered over everyone, including Teal'c, who was sitting with the group.

"They're pretty light," Dex said, under his breath as they entered the room. Melony smiled; a smile that grew when the Light Ones noticed her group and stood up.

There were four of them, and Melony recognized two of them right away. The other two were strangers – although she thought they looked familiar. Kale was the leader of the group, and his second in command Char was right beside him. Both males smiled and bowed slightly toward her when she approached. All four, she saw with a little relief, were dressed in their rough homespun trousers and tunics that they wore when spending any prolonged time with humans.

"Colonel Mitchell," Kale said, reaching his hand out and taking hers. "It is wonderful to see you again."

"It's good to see you, too, Kale," Melony replied. She looked at Char, and gave him a warm smile of welcome as well. "And you, too, Char."

The Light One in question bowed as well, his eyes cheerful.

"The pleasure is ours, Colonel Mitchell."

"Allow me to introduce our companions," Kale said, gesturing at the other two males who had stood as well. "This is Gsar, and this is Pyil. They requested to be allowed to answer your call for assistance, and we were glad to have them join us."

Melony bowed to the other two.

"We are, as well," she said, formally, to them.

They both beamed.

Mitchell turned to Ronon.

"Allow me to make introductions," she said, still formal. "Kale, Char, Gsar and Pyil, this is Ronon Dex."

Kale nodded a greeting to Dex, who returned it. The Light Ones eyes were filled with compassion, and Melony knew that he'd been told where they were and what they were doing.

"It is an honor to meet you, Ronon Dex," Kale said.

"Thank you."

Weir spoke up, then, from her spot next to Kale.

"We've been telling the Light Ones about the cats that you want to go looking for, Colonel," she said. "Carson has been telling them the theory behind their aggressiveness…" she looked at Beckett, who nodded.

"Aye." He'd been sitting beside Char, but there was a spot on the other side of him that Melony took as the others all sat down as well. "I was telling him that we'd like to try and capture one of the less aggressive cats – the ones that the villagers say aren't dangerous – alive, and see if we can compare it to the others."

"You want to capture one of the aggressive ones alive, too?" Sheppard asked, sitting down next to Gsar.

"We don't even know if there are any more aggressive ones…"

"I'm pretty sure there are."

"But we won't know until we actually go looking."

Melony frowned. She had no intention of taking Carson with them, but he was certainly making it seem as if he intended to go.

"I have no doubt that we can find the cats with little problem," Kale said, confidently.

"And _catch_ them?" Rodney asked, frowning. "They're pretty quick…"

"If we're not surprised, we should be able to stun them," Melony said, shrugging. "Kale and the others can give us the edge – and we have zats."

"Which we don't know will work on the aggressive ones," Rodney said.

"There's only one way to find out."

"If they do not," Kale said, "we will make sure the creatures do not get close enough to harm your people."

Which was pretty much what Mitchell expected from them and she was glad they understood what she wanted. She'd seen the Light Ones in action, and had seen the cats in the forest, and there was little doubt in her mind that in their wolf forms the Light Ones were more than a match for the cats.

Dex frowned, though. The Light Ones were tall and lanky, and didn't look like they were built for speed. They certainly seemed confident – which he liked – but he couldn't see how they could hope to compete against the felines that had taken him and Mitchell out so easily.

"How are you going to do that?" he asked, doing his best to keep sarcasm out of his voice.

Kale wasn't offended, though. It took a lot to offend one of the Light Ones – which was a good thing, since Rodney was almost always around them when they were present.

"We will use one of our other forms," he said, easily. "Then we will be able to smell them coming – and hear them – long before they get close."

"And if they can't," Melony said. "We'll switch to plan B."

Sheppard looked at her.

"Which is…?"

She shrugged.

"I'm not sure yet."


	35. 35

"So when would you like to go?" Kale asked. "We are in no hurry, but it sounds as if the people living on this world are in more danger the longer we wait…"

Weir looked over at McKay.

"What time is it on the R'hurian world?"

He looked at his watch and did some quick mental calculations.

"Late evening. Their sun should be coming up in a few hours."

"We don't want to come through the gate in the middle of the night."

Mitchell nodded her agreement.

"Since the Wraith tended toward night raids, we definitely don't need to frighten them." She looked over at Kale. "I think it might be a good idea if you and the others changed form before going through the gate and stayed in that form while there… these people aren't really ready for abilities like yours, I think…"

Kale nodded.

"We were going to suggest the same thing. That will same much time in explanations, I think – and we don't want to frighten anyone if we can avoid it."

Melony smiled, feeling a rush of affection for Kale and his people. Considering the vicious nature of their other forms, they were about as considerate and warm a people as she'd ever met.

_Pheromone alert_… Talon told her with an amused snort.

She would have poked him if she could have.

Not at all… there's nothing _sexual_ about thinking they're a good group of people…

Uh huh… 

He didn't sound convinced, and she had a feeling that he was right. No worries, though, because he could control her own reaction to the pheromones that Kale and his people exuded – and it wasn't like she wasn't aware of the effect the Light Ones had on people. Everyone on Atlantis had been warned and knew about them.

_Except our newest visitor_, Talon reminded her.

Melony looked over at Dex, who had a slightly glazed expression on his face – of course, he was still probably sore as hell from the last battle with the cats, but there was also the chance that it was some kind of reaction to Kale and his people.

I'll have a talk with him. Or maybe have Sheppard or Carson do it.

_Do it before we go. You know that it can turn someone aggressive, and he's already aggressive enough_

Will do.

Aware that she'd been silent during her exchange with Talon, Melony nodded.

"Sounds good. We'll do it that way then, and see how things play out. We'll leave in three hours." She looked at Teal'c. "I'd like you to take a team of Jaffa and find a suitable planet for an ambush site – as soon as we're done with the cats I want to get started on trying to lure whatever Wraith might be listening in on that device Carson pulled out of Ronon here. Doctor McKay has a list of planets that might be suitable."

Teal'c nodded. While he wanted to go and help with the felines, he also knew that his task was just as important – and that Mitchell would have plenty of backup with the Light Ones, the Atlanteans and a hand-picked team of Jaffa that he'd make sure were well aware that guarding her was their responsibility.

"McKay?" Sheppard said, looking at Rodney. "Why don't you join them?"

McKay wasn't the only one who frowned at that. Teal'c looked up, surprised at the suggestion – and visibly displeased at it. Sheppard, completely unaware of the fact that Teal'c wasn't all that fond of McKay in the first place, gave him an apologetic look and shrugged, thinking that Teal'c didn't want to be saddled with McKay's sarcasm and arrogance.

"He knows more about what we need to use that tracking device than anyone."

"True," Melony agreed – just as unaware of any animosity. "Besides, he won't be much use against the cats."

McKay was a terrible shot, after all – even if he _had_ risked his life to save hers.

"I'm going with _you_," Dex said, before she could suggest that he accompany Teal'c and McKay.

Melony nodded, wondering why he didn't want to help with the Wraith part – especially after he hadn't shown any interest in returning to the planet to help the R'hurians before.

_He might be interested in Kale and company…_

True.

_Or he might just want to be away from McKay_

She was hard-pressed to hide her smile at that, but managed to look at Weir.

"Anything else?"

Weir looked at Kale, who shook his head.

"We will be ready whenever the rest of you are."

"We'll meet again in three hours, then," Weir said, standing up. "Colonel Sheppard? Pick your team and make sure they're armed and armored."

John nodded.

"I will choose the Jaffa that will accompany you," Teal'c told Melony. "Unless you prefer to do it yourself?"

"I trust your judgment," she assured him, unnecessarily. "Have them ready, and remind them that Colonel Sheppard is to be obeyed as well."

"I will."

Of course, they both knew the Jaffa wouldn't listen to Sheppard if he told them to do one thing and Mitchell told them to do something else. _She_ was the one in charge as far as the Jaffa were – and ever would be – concerned.

Teal'c headed for the door and after a moment's hesitation and a pained look, Rodney got up and followed him.

Dex had been watching the Light Ones, obviously intrigued by them.

"I don't really understand what everyone means by your other forms…" he said, finally.

Mitchell had said they switched forms, and so had the others – but he just couldn't imagine what they were talking about, really, and couldn't see how another form would be any help against the cats that had so easily overpowered them before.

Kale smiled.

"Perhaps a demonstration is in order?"

Melony nodded.

"Definitely."

And she needed to have a talk with Dex about the Light Ones, as well.


	36. 36

"_That's_ impressive…"

Ronon Dex had found everything about the Ancient's city of Atlantis – what little he'd actually seen – impressive. He'd been impressed by the intelligence of those living there, as well, and was more than impressed by Colonel Mitchell – although she was still something of an enigma to him, especially after the story he'd been told by Rodney McKay. But the Light Ones were something entirely different – and far more awesome than he wanted to admit. He just couldn't help himself, though.

He'd had his doubts when the Atlanteans had walked with him and the Light Ones up to a balcony that overlooked the city. Had raised an eyebrow when the Light Ones had undressed – although the others didn't seem to be surprised at all – and had waited to see what would happen.

He couldn't help the involuntary step he took backward when where Kale had been standing only an instant before there was now a huge wolf-like creature. The change had been instant. One moment the guy had been standing there, the next the wolf was. There was no melting into another form or anything like that. And it _was_ impressive. And mind-boggling.

Weir wasn't the only one to smile at the reaction. They were, of course, used to the change, although no less impressed. Just not so surprised.

"Char? Will you show Mr. Dex your other form?"

The Light One nodded, and an instant later where he'd been standing there was now a huge raptor. A bird. A real one, too, complete with huge feathers and a vicious looking beak that looked like it could cut him in half with a single snap.

"Not bad, huh?" Mitchell said from her position beside him.

Dex nodded.

"Very impressive," he repeated.

"The bird form won't do us much good," Melony said as Kale changed back into his normal form and Char followed suit only a moment later. "But their wolf forms are fast and deadly, and should be enough to give us the advantage – even over the psyched out cats."

"They can all change into wolves?" Dex asked.

Mitchell nodded.

"It's natural for them."

"Plus they'll make great guards if we stay overnight," Sheppard said. "They're a lot better at sniffing out trouble than any of us."

"I bet."

What a magnificent ability.

Weir smiled; not at all surprised that Dex looked a bit thunder struck. She was glad they'd decided to give him a demonstration well before they left. That would give him time to get used to their abilities.

"Colonel Sheppard, gather the supplies your team will need."

Sheppard nodded, looking at his watch. There was about two and a half hours before they were going to leave, and that would be plenty of time – as well as enough time to get a bite to eat.

"Ronon?" Melony said, looking over at him. "I need to talk to you before we go, if you don't mind?"

He shook his head as the others started to file off the balcony, Kale and Char carrying their clothes. Instead of following, he waited, wondering if she was going to try and tell him to stay behind when they all went offworld.

"What's on your mind?" he asked when they were alone.

"The Light Ones."

"What about them?"

"There are a few things about them that you're not aware of yet that you need to be before we go offworld with them."

"Like what?"

She paused, trying to figure out how to bring it up.

"You know what a pheromone is?"

"Yeah."

"Well… these people have tons of them – and they exude them like we sweat."

"So?"

"So the pheromones in this case are ones that will tend to make the unwary or unaware more aggressive – among other things."

"Like?"

Bah.

_Just tell him, Hot Shot_, Talon said; amused that she was embarrassed about the subject.

"They'll have an effect on your sex drive if you're not paying attention…" she blurted.

He stared at her.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Not only towards _them_, but towards the people around you."

"I'm not attracted to any of them."

Melony smiled.

"Probably because they only brought _males_…"

"The females do it, too?"

_The females do it _more, Talon said.

"The females are even more potent than the males," she repeated. She smiled, remembering the way Sheppard and McKay had acted while they were on the Light Ones' home world. "If you have any question about _that_, ask McKay or Sheppard."

Ronon nodded, watching her with an odd expression that plainly told her he was about to change the subject.

"He told me some interesting stories about you, Colonel Mitchell…"

"Sheppard?"

"No. McKay."

She groaned inwardly, fairly certain where this was about to go.

"Like what?"

"You have a creature living inside you – which is why your life force is so much more potent than those around you – except for the Jaffa."

Melony nodded.

"That much is true."

"When we first… met… you spoke with a much deeper voice…" This was more of a question than a comment.

"That wasn't me. It was Talon."

"The creature?"

"He's a symbiote. In exchange for sharing the use of my body, he takes care of healing me, and making sure I stay healthy."

"Which is why you recovered so quickly and I'm still aching…?"

"Yes."

"What does he want?"

"The same things that I do." She looked at her watch. While she would have been willing to tell him the story – and she was going to have to have a talk with Rodney _I Can't Keep My Big Mouth Shut_ McKay – she had a few things to take care of and wanted a chance to talk with Carson. "He's an intelligent being that just happens to need a host, that's all."

"And because of him the Jaffa believe you to be their goddess?"

She frowned, wondering when Rodney had had so much time to gossip.

"No. It's a long story, Ronon," she said. "Come with me, and I'll try to tell you some of it while we go get you a backup weapon…"

He nodded, and the two of them headed for the door.

"It all started when I was leading a team called SG-2…" she said as the door closed behind them. And as they walked – slowly – she started to tell him the story. Some of it, anyways.


	37. 37

By the time Mitchell and Dex reached the operations level of the city once more, she'd managed to get to the part in her story where she and Talon took on the Goa'uld. She might have made it further, since she wasn't going into a lot of detail – and had completely left Brad out of the story to avoid getting too far off the main topic (not to mention to save herself a lot of heartache) – but Dex had never heard of a Goa'uld (aside from what little McKay had told him), and had asked several questions about them. Questions that she answered as honestly and completely as she could. It was important he realize just how bad the Goa'uld were, so he'd understand why the Jaffa had been so relieved to have someone leading them that didn't force them to do things that they'd much rather not do. To his credit, Dex had listened carefully and hadn't given her any sign that he didn't believe what he was being told.

"McKay said you defeated the Goa'uld single-handedly…"

She shook her head.

"We had _help_. A lot of help, really, and we weren't _alone_ in the final confrontation. The device we needed would have destroyed us as well, but we had another person – his name is Daniel – with us, and he activated an escape device that kept us from getting blown to shit. Without him we never would have made it, and it almost killed him."

"And you?"

She shrugged.

"Talon helped."

"So the Jaffa follow you out of loyalty…"

"The Jaffa are a race who are just learning what it is to be free after being enslaved for untold generations. I'm trying to convince them I'm not what they – _most of them_ – think I am, and Teal'c is helping with that, but old habits die hard."

Dex nodded, and was quiet as the two of them walked towards the door to Stargate operations, where she'd hand him over to Sheppard to make sure he had all the equipment he'd need for their mission.

"I'd like to hear about the Wraith…" he said, finally.

She nodded.

"It's not a secret. Ask Colonel Sheppard – or Teyla, or Teal'c, or pretty much anyone but Rodney McKay. They can tell you the story."

The door opened and they walked into the main room, and saw Weir talking with Sheppard, Char and Ford.

"We were wondering where you went…" John said. "I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost and was going to send Ford looking for you."

Melony smiled, amused. She had a better sense of direction than that – and he knew it. Not much better, maybe, but better...

"We were talking. Do me a favor and make sure Ronon here gets equipped with some gear, will you? He doesn't have a lot of personal items." Se looked at Dex. "When we get back to the planet, we'll stop by your camp and see about letting you get whatever you might have left there…"

"Thanks."

"Where are you going to be?" Sheppard asked.

"In my quarters cuddling up to a pot of coffee. I'll meet you here in a couple of hours."

Which would give her time to get her gear together and have a cup of coffee – or two – with Carson.

OOOOOOOOO

"You need to take a medic."

"I know. Assign me someone."

"It should be me. I'm the chief surgeon."

"You're needed here."

It wasn't the first time they'd had this conversation, so there wasn't anything being said that hadn't been said before.

"Not so much."

She smiled.

"More than you think."

"You just don't want me to go," he accused, stung by the fact that she didn't want his company. Of course, he was the first one she always sought out when she had free time, but _that_ didn't matter just then.

"No, I don't." She reached for his hand to soften the harsh words. "You distract me, Carson and you know it. Worse, I'd distract you, and while I don't think this is going to be all that dangerous with the Light Ones and the Jaffa both backing us up, I don't want you out there distracted and maybe getting hurt."

He frowned, ready to make another argument, but she stopped him.

"Carson… please? Don't argue with me, okay? I don't want to fight, and I don't want you mad at me when I go."

He sighed, but her reasons were sound – whether he liked them or not (and he _didn't_). And he didn't want to argue, either.

"How about Lieutenant Cain?"

"The new guy?"

He was the young doctor that had stitched her up when she'd returned from the fight with the Tree Cats, but she didn't know much about him.

He nodded.

"He's new, but he knows his stuff."

"If that's who you want."

Anyone was fine with her – except _him_ – and she didn't think that Cain's inexperience offworld would hurt them with so much backup. They'd just keep him close to the command post.

"I want _me_," Beckett told her seriously. He stopped her when she started to speak, though. "I know… it's not going to happen. Cain will do fine."

"Of course he will."

Carson gave her a look that plainly said he still wasn't happy, but that he was willing to go along with her wishes this time.

_This time_

"How long do you think you'll be gone?"

She shrugged.

"Shouldn't be too long. Not with the Light Ones sniffing them out for us."

He ran his hand gently along the bandaged area of her side, where mostly healed gashes had been driving her crazy with itching for the last day.

"You'll be careful…?"

"Yes." She smiled and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "We know what we're up against this time and they won't surprise us like they did the last time."

_And if we get lucky, we'll find more Wraith_

We don't need to mention that to him, though.

_No_


	38. 38

They emerged from the gate about an hour after the sun rose. Not surprisingly, they attracted a lot of attention. From those who were around, anyways. When the Jaffa first materialized on the other side of the Stargate, several people who had been in the area shrank back a bit, uncertain what to make of these imposing warriors. They grew a little bolder when they recognized Teyla, Ford and Sheppard as they emerged from the gate next, and then practically scattered when the Light Ones followed, accompanied by Mitchell and Dex.

It was completely understandable considering the wolves that were the Light Ones came well above Mitchell's waist and were about as vicious-looking as they came.

"Timid lot, aren't they…?" Dex observed as he watched the natives clearing trying to work up the courage to come back up to Melony and the others.

"You can't blame them…" she said, stepping forward to make sure she was seen.

Well, yeah, there was that. Dex hung back while Melony waved the Jaffa back towards the Light Ones where they wouldn't seem quite as imposing next to the large wolves. Which was saying something, since the twelve Jaffa that had accompanied them were ferocious looking in their own right, with their gleaming armor, their considerable weaponry and unsmiling faces. Even Ronan was impressed with the Jaffa.

The villagers stared, silently, as the newcomers formed up, facing them, and john moved to stand beside Mitchell just in front of them.

"Hey, guys…" he said to the watching villagers. "We said we'd be back with help…"

And still there was silence.

"Um… is _Chanin_ around?" Melony asked, deciding that they'd better talk to one of the council – and his was the only name she could remember. Talon, of course, was more than willing to give her a couple of other names, but he didn't remember all of them, either. Besides, Chanin had introduced himself as the _leader_ of the council.

One of the men nudged the one standing beside him with an elbow, startling him. The first one muttered something to the one he'd nudged. The man shook his head, muttering something back, but only received a more urgent nudge – almost a jab. The man scowled, but with a final look at the off-worlders, he turned and took off at a run towards one of the twin villages.

And the waiting began with both groups watching each other in silence.

"Think we should have brought the Light Ones in in human form?" Sheppard whispered to Mitchell.

She shook her head.

"I think they would have been even more wary than they are now… The Jaffa are scary enough; the Light Ones are even more alien-looking."

"True."

Luckily, it didn't take long for Chanin to arrive. He'd already heard about the gate activating, of course, and those that had come to their world. By the time the runner from had arrived, he was already dressed and heading that direction, followed by three other members of the council.

"You wouldn't _believe_ the size of the hounds they have with them!" the runner told them, breathlessly, holding his side. "Or the warriors!"

"But Colonel Mitchell is clearly in charge?" Chanin asked.

"She seems to be – or maybe the other one; Sheppard."

Chanin nodded, and hurried his steps. That was a relief, at least.

OOOOOOOO

"Here they come…"

It wasn't necessary, but Ford was almost as nervous as the villagers who were staring at them. He was young and used to action. Not used to standing around having people staring at him in silence. It was unnerving for him.

The crowd had grown – at a safe distance – and they parted when Chanin and the others walked up. The old man showed a lot of guts, Melony decided, walking right up to this odd group assembled in front of him.

_He's leader of the council for a reason, one assumes_, Talon said.

True.

"Colonel Mitchell… Colonel Sheppard…" Chanin said as he approached. "It is good to see you again…"

Melony gave her best smile as she gave him a slight bow.

"We would have returned sooner, but we had to assemble the help we promised." She gestured to the Jaffa and Light Ones. "These are warriors of the Jaffa, and… some others. They have offered to help us track down the feral Tree Cats and see about clearing the danger from your forest."

There was a great deal of murmuring that accompanied that statement, with an undercurrent of excitement. Now that they knew the newcomers really were there to help them, the fact that they were formidable was an advantage, and not something to be afraid of.

Chanin smiled.

"You and your friends are most welcomed, Colonel Mitchell. We will find a place for you to stay in one of the villages."

Melony shook her head.

"Thank you, Chanin, but that won't be necessary. We're not sticking around."

"You're not?"

"We're ready to start now, so we're going to head into the forest."

There were more murmurs. The crowd watching was listening – even though they were still at what they perceived to be a safe distance – and they were reacting to what Mitchell said with a mixture of hope and consternation. On one hand, they really wanted to have their forest back, and the assembled group looked capable of doing something about it. On the other hand, though, they all knew about the missing people – and the fact that whatever had killed them had managed to hurt some of Mitchell's people as well. Even though these weren't the same people, it seemed impossible that anyone could kill a ghost.

"So soon?" Chanin asked, surprised as well.

"We don't want to waste any daylight."

Chanin glanced back at the assembled villagers, and then looked at Melony and Sheppard.

"We can provide you with a guide…"

None of the villagers looked all that enthused at that particular notion, and Mitchell wasn't the only one to smile at the looks of consternation that greeted that statement.

"That won't be necessary, Chanin," she said. "We have help."


	39. 39

"Are you _sure_ this is safe?"

The group had entered the forest in a carefully considered formation; with two Jaffa on point with one of the wolves (Char) and Sheppard, three on each flank – each with another wolf and a P90 toting Atlantean – and Ronon, Mitchell and Kale falling back to take the rear to guard against any of the cats coming up behind them. With the remaining four Jaffa in the middle of the group guarding (and carrying) their supplies, Lieutenant Cain was in the most protected spot Mitchell could put him in, but he had been nervous since they'd entered the wooded area, and was constantly watching the trees around him as if he expected to be attacked any minute.

"Nothing will harm you," one of the Jaffa told the nervous young doctor, confidently. Since Mitchell had personally charge him with the specific task of keeping an eye on Cain, the Jaffa was going to make sure he did just that. Cain, however, didn't look all that reassured.

"There's probably nothing this close to the edge of the forest," Ford said, also watching the trees.

"You don't _know_ that, though…"

"Nothing's going to get past the Light Ones."

Cain was new to Atlantis, though – he'd come after the ambush of the Wraith – and he didn't have the same confidence in the Light Ones that everyone else seemed to have. All he knew was that he was offworld and on a mission he hadn't volunteered for, and he was fairly scared – although he tried not to let that show too much.

Ford wasn't fooled, though – and neither were the Jaffa, who were pretty good at reading humans.

Meanwhile, at the back of the group there was yet another conversation going on.

"Why are you doing this?" Ronon asked, as they walked, his eyes watching the trees but his question clearly for Melony.

"Doing what?"

She was wearing the same gear as the Atlanteans; having decided that Jaffa armor was just too hot and heavy for hiking through the woods. She was carrying a staff weapon, however, instead of a P90, for the extra whacking capability that the staff would give her if they ended up in close-quartered fighting.

"Putting these people in danger looking for these cats…" Ronon said, waving at the Jaffa and the Light Ones ahead of them. "You don't live here. It's not your problem."

"You think I should let the villagers try to deal with it on their own?" She asked. "Let them try to kill these things with pitchforks and hoes?"

He shrugged.

"I don't know…"

"They wouldn't have a chance…"

"I know."

"Not to mention, _you_ had a hand in creating the situation in the first place."

He scowled, but he didn't deny it, proving to her that he might have already considered that – which was probably why he'd gone with her and this group instead of looking for a suitable planet to ambush some Wraith with Teal'c. If he hadn't been hiding in the forest, the Wraith wouldn't have come, after all, and the cats wouldn't have killed and fed on them and changed. Ultimately, it was the fault of the Wraith, but it wasn't too hard to put the blame on Ronon, and he'd probably done just that in his mind.

"Which doesn't tell me why _you're_ here…" he pressed.

"For the same reason Kale is," Melony said, reaching out and running her hand through the thick fur of the Light One – who rumbled his approval at the touch. "We can help, and it's the right thing to do."

He grunted, but didn't reply, and when she looked over at him, his expression was unreadable. They continued walking in silence.

OOOOOOOOOO

"We can't use that planet," Rodney said.

Teal'c nodded his agreement. The planet in question was inhabited, and they'd never lead the Wraith to a planet that already had people. Even if it was only a _couple_ of Wraith. The Jaffa hit a button to bring up the next planet, and Rodney shook his head again.

"That one's barren, but there's no place for an ambush of any kind. They'd see you the minute they came through the gate – and if they had a dart, you'd be toast. We went there and it was so hot. It has two suns – although one is far enough away that it doesn't melt the rocks or anything, it's still so hot that the soil is nothing more than dust, and we could probably have fried an egg on the rocks, if we'd have had one."

Teal'c glanced over at McKay.

"I am ready to stop for a while."

The two of them had been looking through the files that Sheppard and the Atlanteans had made of all the planets they'd visited most of the afternoon, and both of them were ready to take a break. Rodney, because his tightly wrapped ribs were really starting to ache and he was ready to go find Carson and ask for something to ease the pain, and Teal'c because he was tired of being in the same room with McKay, who had a story for every planet they'd looked at.

Rodney breathed a silent sigh of relief and nodded.

"I'm all for stopping."

After he spoke with Carson, maybe he could find something to eat.

Teal'c turned the video screen off, but before he could get up, the door opened behind them and Elizabeth walked in.

"Any luck?"

"Not really," Rodney said, before Teal'c could say anything. "Most of the planets we've looked at so far have been ruled out for one reason or another – mostly because of populations of people or something like that…"

Weir nodded.

"Have you heard anything from Colonel Mitchell's group?" Teal'c asked, more than ready to change the subject.

"No, not yet. Do you think we should have?"

Weir hadn't expected to hear anything for at least a day – maybe more – or until they'd managed to catch or kill at least one of the felines.

Teal'c shook his head.

"Probably not. Undoubtedly, they will wait to contact us until they have something worth relaying."

"We'll give them a day or so," Weir said, knowing that he would follow her lead. "If we don't hear anything, we'll give them a call."

"I'm sure they're having a great time," Rodney said. "Camping out in the fresh air… hiking and living off the land…"

Boy, was he glad he wasn't with them.


	40. 40

"I suppose this is a bad time to mention just how _little_ I like camping?"

Sheppard looked over at Cain, wondering – _again_ – if Beckett had been thinking clearly when he'd assigned the young Lieutenant to the away team. The man had done nothing but complain pretty much the entire day they'd been looking for feral Tree Cats. They hadn't had any luck with the cats, and that had made Cain's griping that much more annoying.

"It's a little late for that, yeah," John said, tossing another log onto the fire that one of the Jaffa had started as soon as they'd decided to stop for the night.

The forest was dark and silent, and they'd chosen a small clearing to stop in for the night. Mainly to give them a little space if something happened in the night, and to keep from burning down the forest with their campfire.

"Only we can prevent forest fires," Mitchell had said to the Jaffa, quoting Smokey the Bear. It had made the human members of the group grin – all but Cain, Ronan and Teyla– but the Jaffa hadn't had a clue that she was making a joke (and she'd known that of course) so they'd simply been more careful about how deep they dug their fire pit and were careful to line it with rocks.

"I don't like it…" Cain said, wrapping his arms around himself to get warm and scooting a little closer to the fire. "If I wanted to be out in the woods I'd have become a _logger_ and not a doctor."

"Just make the best of it," Teyla said, patiently. Far more patiently than Sheppard could have – or the Jaffa would have. "There is no choice in the matter."

Cain sighed, and leaned back against the pack that one of the Jaffa had set down nearby. They'd already eaten (a meal of MREs that had given Cain one more reason to complain – although he'd noticed by then that the Jaffa who was always beside him seemed to be getting annoyed, and he'd made sure to keep his griping a little more toward the humans and away from the Jaffa) so there wasn't anything for him to do now but watch as the others settled in and Colonel Mitchell arranged the watches to her satisfaction. At least he didn't have to take a watch with the others. Being a doctor had its advantages sometimes.

"Double watches," Mitchell was saying, separating the Jaffa into groups with the humans and putting each group with one of the Light Ones – who were still in wolf form. "Sheppard? You have first watch. Wake me when you're done, and I'll wake Ford and Ronan." That would leave Teyla's group for the dawn shift – which was the shit shift, really – but it would also allow them to have the most unbroken sleep to compensate.

Melony looked at those who were teamed with the humans she'd mentioned, waiting for any questions, but the Jaffa were all pros, and the Light Ones were more than capable of being awake the entire night if necessary. Sheppard headed out with his group – and Kale – for their watch, and Mitchell came over and sat down by the fire next to Cain, stretching out and propping herself up on her elbows. A low growl behind them startled the doctor and made Mitchell look around. Char was sitting close at hand looking at her expectantly. When Melony sat up to see if she could figure out what he needed, the Light One simply moved into position behind her, silently telling her that he was willing to be her backstop.

She smiled, touched at the consideration, and leaned back once more, this time into a soft furry body.

"Thanks, Char."

There was a soft rumbling in reply, and Cain looked over at them in disbelief. Bad enough he was pretty wary around the huge creatures (and how did she manage to tell them apart?) but to have one willing to be cuddled up against like that… it was crazy. Crazier than anything he'd faced that day at least. Everything was crazy since he'd gone through the Stargate.

"You should get some sleep, Lieutenant," Mitchell told him. "Tomorrow's probably going to be a lot more of the same." (is anyone reading this?).

He nodded, silently, and pulled a blanket from his pack. It wasn't cold out, but it took him a long time to fall asleep.

OOOOOOOOO

_Wake up, Hot Shot_

The words in her mind woke her even as she heard someone kneel down silently beside her, and was sitting up as Ford reached his hand out to shake her awake.

_Quietly_, Talon warned.

"What's up?" she asked, softly. She could see the concern in his expression in the faint light of the full moon above them. The fire had long since died to almost nothing – only some glowing embers – and it didn't give off any heat and precious little light.

"Something's happening…" Ford whispered.

Char had been behind Mitchell when Ford had arrived at the fire pit, but when she'd sat up the Light One had stood up, his nose in the air, testing the night with all his senses, his body rigid.

Melony immediately had her Beretta in her hand, and she went into a crouch, looking around the clearing. The Jaffa who weren't on watch were waking up as well, each of them reaching for staff weapons while watching the perimeter of their camp. None of them could hear anything or see anything, but the three Light Ones that had been off watch were all on their feet and tense. More importantly, none of them were changing form to explain what they were sensing, which meant they thought they needed the form they were in just then.

She glanced at the sleeping form of Cain, wondering if she should wake him.

_He won't do you any good_, Talon said, giving his vote to just let the doctor sleep. _Lin'at won't let anything hurt him_

Sure enough, the Jaffa she'd assigned as personal bodyguard for the doctor was already moving into a protective position near him, silently watching the dark with his staff weapon in hand. Melony gave a purely mental agreement, and reached out to put her hand on Char's shoulder.

The Light One tensed even further, his attention on the trees around them and a low growl forming deep in his chest.

"Ford…" she whispered, looking over to him. When he turned his head from the outer perimeter, she motioned for him to start building the fire up – and put her finger over her lips to remind him (unnecessarily) to do it quietly.

The Lieutenant moved towards the firewood they'd gathered the night before and started quietly piling some of the logs onto the embers, paying far more attention to his surroundings than to what he was doing.

"Something is out there…"

Ronon had appeared from nowhere, moving as silently as the Light Ones. He was knelt beside her, his huge gun in his hand and his eyes trying to scan the forest around them as well.

"Any idea where?"

He shook his head.

"Everywhere, to judge by the way the dogs are acting."

"The-"

A scream from the darkness interrupted her and it was immediately followed by a furious snarl. Immediately the still night turned into a chaos of screams, snarls and battle cries, and Mitchell turned just in time to see several huge dark shapes hurtling toward her and the others around the fire, fangs and claws gleaming in the light of the slowly growing fire.


	41. 41

"_Arggggggh_!"

It was possibly the worst nightmare to wake up to. One minute Lieutenant Cain had been soundly sleeping (dreaming of a very friendly fellow doctor that in actuality hadn't shown any interest in him, but in his dream was about as friendly as he could hope for) and the next a blood-curdling scream jerked him from sound asleep to wide-awake in an instant.

He opened his eyes and sat up, just in time to see some huge shape in the darkness rushing seemingly right at him, and was roughly pushed flat once more, a heavy weight pressing against his chest uncomfortably.

"Stay down."

The voice was deep and he knew immediately – even through his terror – that it belonged to the Jaffa that had been walking by him all day. Cain was more than willing to comply, and tried to flatten himself even more.

Around him the night was bedlam.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Amazed once more at the awesome speed of the great cats, Mitchell barely had time to raise her Beretta (if she'd had it in its holster, she'd never have been able to draw it in time) to face the coming charge – even with Talon now in command. She fired, knowing there was no way they were going to be able to catch any of them alive for Carson or the others to study, and one of the creatures screeched, but none of them stopped. The sounds of pitched battles – both weapons fire and snarls – told her plainly that there were more out there than just these.

A furry body dove past her from behind, meeting the charge with a snarl, and engaging the cat that was in the lead. The two animals, dog and cat, tumbled off to the side of the fire in a flurry of spitting, snarling and eerily human-like screams.

She fired again, but the rest of the cats were on them, now, and it was impossible to maintain gunfire without the worry of someone close by stumbling into the path of one of the bullets. A bolt of red energy dropped one of the cats, proving Ronan wasn't having the same problem just yet, and Mitchell fell back as one of the cats jumped at her, its huge paw slashing at her head, but missing as she fell.

She grabbed for her knife as she went down, and reached up for the cat that followed. One hand grabbed a handful of fur, and her legs came up around the creature's belly, holding tightly because it was a lot safer to be close to the animal where it might not be able to get a grip with claw or teeth. Her free hand plunged the knife into fur, and the cat screamed in pain and anger, spitting as it tried to find a way to grab the pesky creature that was clinging to its belly.

"_Colonel_!"

Ford had fired a few rounds at the cats as they approached, but like Mitchell he knew it was too dangerous to continue indiscriminate firing. Unlike Mitchell, none of the cats came at him. Two had attacked Mitchell – Ronan dropped one and she was fighting the other – and three had gone for the Jaffa who was pinning the doctor to the ground. The Jaffa had dropped one with his staff weapon, and had fallen back under the creature's attack, and now they were grappling in the dirt, and another had been attacked by Ronan who had dropped his gun and reached for a knife as well.

Aiden lunged for the cat that was clawing at Mitchell, his knife flashing in the firelight as he pounced on the screaming creature. The cat snarled again when he scored a hit, and twisted around to meet this new attacker, only to have its belly ripped open by Mitchell, who had been presented with a target she couldn't resist. Blood spurted, and the cat's scream this time was deafening as it took the mortal wounding, twisting once more in its desperation to get away now, and landing hard on Ford, who couldn't get out of the way in time to avoid it.

Melony didn't wait to see if Ford was okay. There wasn't time. She went on the offensive, reaching for her zat – only to find she'd lost it in the struggle. Without waiting to look for it, she lunged at the two cats that were wrestling with Lin'at and tripped over Cain, who was flat on his belly and watching the entire scene with eyes the size of dinner plates.

She rolled as she fell, and managed to slash her knife hand out, catching one of the cats on the flank and drawing its attention to her instead of the outnumbered Jaffa. It turned on her, swiping at her with a lightening quick paw filled with razor sharp claws, but she rolled again, right up against the rocks surrounding the fire, and the cat screamed in fury, turning and pouncing as Mitchell tried to get her knife up once more.

Once more a furry body jumped over her, and one of the Light Ones was there, teeth snapping as he went for a killing bite to the throat and missed. The momentum of the wolf knocked even the huge cat to the side, and they crashed into Cain, who yelped in terror, certain he'd received a killing wound. Melony scrambled upright and reached out and grabbed him by the collar to pull him out of the way. And he bit her arm, unaware who it was that was grabbing him.

She bit back a curse and yanked on him, jerking him clear, and pushing him flat once more with a little more force than was probably necessary.

"Stay!"

Then she lurched to her feet and dove into the fray between Lin'at and the cat, knowing that the Light One didn't need her help as much as the Jaffa did.

Just as she launched herself against the cat, however, it gave a screech that sounded a lot like the death cry of the one she'd killed. The creature stiffened for the briefest of moments, and then slumped as the Jaffa under it stabbed it in the heart – finally.

Unneeded, she turned to help Ronan, only to find that he'd dispatched his cat as well, and was turning to look for another target, a wicked-looking knife in his hand covered with blood. Much like everything around the campfire was, it seemed. Including Mitchell and Ronan. Both of them turned at the sound of yet another screech that ended in a gurgle, and a triumphant snarl as the wolf closest to them ripped the throat out of the cat he was battling.

"Are you all right?"

They both turned again, this time at the sound of a relatively calm – if out of breath – voice.

Teyla had come up behind them, holding a long knife that looked more like a machete than anything, both the knife and her arm covered with blood. Talon released control of her body and Mitchell looked around the camp, and saw the rest of the Jaffa approaching as well, all showing signs of having been attacked (which explained why none had been able to come help her, Ronan and Ford) and one of the other Light Ones.

"We're fine," Ronan said, looking around as well. "You?"

"I am fine, as well."

"Help…"

Ford was still pinned under the dead cat, and several of the Jaffa moved over to pull the creature off him, and then pull him to his feet.

"You okay, Aiden?"

"Yeah."

"Good."

Despite her very real need to sit down and catch her breath, Mitchell looked at the Jaffa.

"Injuries?"

"Your Colonel Sheppard is down," one reported. "Sar'l is bringing him. There are no other major wounds that I know of."

One of the others nodded his agreement.

"Good fight, though."


	42. 42

"Is it bad?"

The Jaffa that were supporting Sheppard between them shook their heads in unison, but John's head lolled back limply, plainly telling Melony and the others that he wasn't at one hundred percent, either. In the light of the now roaring fire they could see that Sheppard, was covered in blood – hopefully it wasn't _his_, since Melony and pretty much everyone else were also drenched with the stuff – but there was no way of knowing without checking him out.

"Doc…"

Cain looked up from where he'd been sitting, his face pale and his eyes still wide from fear.

"Yes?"

Ford rolled his eyes at the response, and pulled one of the blankets Mitchell was using for sleeping over, while Teyla gestured for the Jaffa to lay Sheppard down on it.

"Are you hurt?" Melony asked patiently.

"No. Just a little shaken, I guess…"

"Colonel Sheppard needs to be looked at."

"What?" Cain looked over at Sheppard, who hadn't moved or spoken, and seemed to realize that he was supposed to do something about that. "Oh! Yes, I'll do that…"

He glanced over at the nearest dead cat, and swallowed convulsively.

"I need my bag…"

"Ford?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

Ford moved to the place Cain had been sleeping, and pulled his medical bag out from the pack, bringing it over and handing it to the young doctor. Still looking a bit shell-shocked, Cain carried it over and knelt next to Sheppard.

"He's unconscious."

Ronon gave Mitchell an incredulous look, but she just shook her head. It wasn't Cain's fault he was unnerved. He was a doctor, not a soldier, and he wasn't used to the kind of violence they'd just witnessed. It could be unnerving for anyone.

_Yes_

She turned to the Jaffa.

"Start getting rid of the bodies," she told them. "Use your zats and disintegrate them."

"I thought Doctor Beckett wanted some of them to study?" Teyla asked.

Melony shook her head.

"We'll try to find one somewhere, but I'm not going to keep this many of them – and I'm certainly not going to lug them around while we go looking for more of them."

"We could leave them somewhere and come back for them," Ford suggested.

"And risk having something eat them? And maybe start this whole thing again – only this time with scavengers, like buzzards or something like that?"

The young man looked chagrined.

"I didn't think of that…"

"I didn't, either," she admitted. "_Talon_ did."

The Jaffa started doing what she told them; pulling the dead cats into a clear area and then hitting them with a zat three times to make them disappear. Eventually, all that was left were a bunch of bloody areas and what wounds had been left behind on those who had been involved in the battle.

Melony felt something cold and wet brush against her hand, and flinched before she realized that it was Kale's nose. Then she smiled at having been caught off guard – and maybe a little wired – and ran her hand along his shoulder.

"Are any of your people hurt, Kale?" she asked, trying to look for gashes and cuts through his thick fur.

The wolf rumbled a response deep in his chest, but until he shook his head she hadn't been exactly certain what it had meant.

"We'll double-check anyways," she decided, looking at his bloody muzzle.

He snorted, but didn't object.

"Ford? You're sure you're not hurt?"

"No, Colonel, I'm fine."

"Good. You take care of the Light Ones, okay? If they're not changing forms, then that means they think there's enough danger to keep themselves in wolf fur for now, but I want to make sure they're not hurt."

He nodded, and Mitchell gestured for a couple of the Jaffa to assist him. None of them had taken any injuries that would require more than what their symbiotes could handle – Melony hadn't, either, for that matter.

_Oh sure… Talon fix this, Talon fix that…_

She smiled, amused, but before she could respond Ronon looked over at her.

"You think there are more coming?"

"I don't know."

Cain looked up from where he was stripping Sheppard's jacket and shirt off.

"More?"

"There can't be _that_ many more," she said, reassuringly. "How is he?"

This last was asked to hopefully divert his attention from the cats. And it worked. The young doctor looked back to Sheppard.

"He has a bump on his head – which is probably why he's out – and several minor cuts that I've found so far. Nothing too serious, yet, but I've only started looking."

"Good."

"They didn't attack Sheppard," Teyla said. "He merely got in the way of a rush toward one of the Jaffa."

Probably on purpose.

"They're probably attracted to the Jaffa the same way the Wraith are," Cain said, not lifting his gaze from Sheppard.

"What?"

He looked up, now.

"The Jaffa – and yourself – have the extra life force given to you because you carry symbiotes, right?"

"Yes."

"The Wraith sense it and are drawn to it, the cats ate the Wraith and have started showing some of those characteristics, so naturally they're going to be drawn to extra life forces as well."

"Then why would they have killed villagers?" Ronon asked.

"Why _wouldn't_ they? The _Wraith_ would."

"But they'd be more inclined to go for one of us," Melony said.

"Probably," he replied, looking back to what he'd been doing.

_There's more to young Doctor Cain than first meets the eye_, Talon said, approvingly.

We would have figured it out.

_He figured it out, first, though_

Yeah.

Since the Jaffa who weren't helping with the Light Ones or disposing of dead cats were already standing watch in the event of another attack, there was no reason for her to worry about them being ambushed without warning. The Light Ones were still watching as well, and they'd known the cats were coming before they'd actually attacked. And their warning was probably all that had kept things from turning into a real bloodbath.

Of course, several of them (Melony, included) looked like they had been _bathing_ in blood, but until morning there wasn't much they could do about it.

_The blood might attract other creatures_

The fire should keep them away.

"It's still several hours until daylight," Ronon told them. He'd know best, since he'd been on the planet longer than any of them.

She nodded.

"We'll keep the watches the way they were. I'll-"

A movement from the blanket Sheppard was lying on drew her attention – as well as that of the others.

John opened his eyes, winced at the brightness of the fire against the pounding of his head, and tried looking around. Seeing everyone looking down at him, he couldn't help but feel just a little self-conscious. Luckily, he felt way too crappy to really be all that concerned about it. Well… sort of lucky, anyways.

"Did we win?"


	43. 43

Mitchell smiled down at Sheppard, relieved he was awake and aware of what was going on around him – even though he looked like his head was killing him.

"_We_ won," she clarified. "But _you_ lost."

He snorted, and tried to sit up, but was held down by Doctor Cain, who put his hand on his chest.

"Lie flat for a bit, Colonel," he ordered. "You took a pretty good wallop to the head."

Sheppard didn't look like he wanted to lie flat, but his head obviously was telling him that it was a good idea, because he didn't complain. He relaxed, and looked over at Mitchell, frowning at the realization that it was blood that was soaked into her uniform.

"Injuries?" he asked.

"None that are too serious," she answered. "Some cuts, a few bruises and a lot of dead cats."

"And one beat up Colonel," Teyla added with a relieved smile.

Melony grinned.

"That's _you_, in case you weren't aware."

He scowled, but couldn't help looking a little chagrined.

"_My_ cat was bigger than yours – and had sharper teeth."

"Uh huh."

"It _did_. And longer claws."

"Well, you did a great job of tripping it up, I hear," Mitchell told him; relieved he was able to joke around with her and the others. She turned her attention to Cain. "Doctor? Will he need to go back to Atlantis?"

"I'm fine," John said, quickly, trying to sit up once more and glaring at Cain as if to make sure he didn't answer the question the wrong way.

"I don't see the need," Cain answered, unruffled by the glare as he held Sheppard down once more. Now that he was getting his equilibrium back, he wasn't as uncertain as he had been when he'd been a walking case of shock himself. It helped that he had a patient to tend, of course. "He should be okay to go by morning, I think. He just needs some rest."

Melony nodded.

"Good. You heard him, Colonel. Sleep."

"What if more of those cats come?" John complained.

"We'll make sure to roll you in the way," Ronon told him, smiling as well.

Sheppard scowled.

"Cute."

Ronon answered the scowl with a smirk. _He_ thought so, too.

Mitchell gestured for the Jaffa who weren't on watch just then to gather around – along with the three Light Ones who weren't on watch as well.

"Okay, you guys," she said to all of them. "Doctor Cain feels – and he's probably _right_ – that these cats are going after the Jaffa mainly, because of the extra life force their symbiotes give them."

"And _yourself_, as well, Colonel," Cain added.

Melony nodded her acceptance of that.

"Since the Light Ones haven't changed form yet, that means they think it's entirely possible we might get another attack of these things… am I right Kale?" she asked the huge wolf standing beside Ford as the lieutenant ran his hands along its fur, looking for injuries.

A growl and a nod were his response, and the Jaffa nodded, as well. They didn't know how many of these cats there were, but everyone knew felines were nocturnal hunters. Even juiced up Wraith-eaters.

"Ronon? Is there a river or lake around here anywhere?"

He thought about it a moment, then nodded.

"A small stream. A couple of hours from here."

"We'll head there tomorrow." She wanted a chance to wash the blood out of her hair that she could feel drying.

"How many more of these cats do you think there are?" Cain asked.

She shrugged.

"There can't be that many, really. We don't know how many there were here to begin with – and not all of them could have gotten hold of the Wraith pieces, right?"

The others shrugged. They didn't know any more than she did.

"Okay. Let's schedule some watches and try to get some sleep."

Cain looked as if he had no intention of ever sleeping again – not after the way he'd been woken up the last time, but he did make Sheppard comfortable with another blanket and couple of softer packs for a pillow.

"I'd give you something potent for your head," he said as he tucked the blanket around the Colonel, "but it'd probably knock you out, and if more of those things attack…"

"I'm not going to want to be out," John finished. "Good call. Just give me some aspirin."

With a shorter amount of time left before sunrise, Mitchell took the watch – even though she'd already done one that evening. She didn't need to sleep. The scratches and bruises that she had from the latest battle with the cats weren't serious, and Talon could work on them while she was awake. And would.

With Ronon and Kale now acting as a guard – since both of them were well aware she'd be the first target of the three – they went out to the perimeter of the camp, and relieved the three Jaffa who had been standing watch.

One of them was bleeding from a fairly deep gash in his arm – a gash he'd neglected to tell anyone about in typical Jaffa stoicism – but Mitchell didn't allow that. Unlike the system lords she'd replaced, she cared about the Jaffa and wasn't about to allow them to suffer – even a little – if she could avoid it. To save his pride, however, she switched over to Goa'uld when she told him to go have the doctor look at it.

Ronon looked over at her as the Jaffa left.

"What language was that?"

"Goa'uld."

"I thought they didn't have mouths?"

Talon snickered in Melony's head, and she smiled.

"They don't, but they _do_ have languages. They don't just use the language of their hosts. Besides, the Goa'uld in the _Jaffa_ aren't mature, yet. They don't speak at all – unlike _Talon_ who sometimes won't shut up."

_Hey! I heard that!_

Ronon looked confused, but shrugged his acceptance of the situation. Standing watch wasn't the time to get into complicated stories. Especially when there were Wraith-eating cats out looking for any meal they could find.


	44. 44

"This planet is _perfect_, Elizabeth," Rodney said. "It's small, and uninhabited – for the most part – and it has enough cover that we can hide that transmitter and make them have to actually come down and land to try and find Ronon, which means that the-"

"Wait a minute, Rodney," Weir interrupted, cutting him off and looking at the laptop in front of her that McKay and Teal'c had brought into her office. "What do you mean by uninhabited for the _most part_?"

"Well, it's an interesting place," Rodney said, looking over at Teal'c, who didn't say anything, obviously still allowing McKay to run the briefing as they'd discussed. "It's two planets. One little one orbiting another one – like a _moon_, only with atmosphere and all sorts of budding life; plants, trees, little bugs in the water…"

"But no people?"

"No. And no Stargate – although the big planet _does_ have one – and _people_, but not a lot, and not enough to tempt the Wraith, we think."

"The Wraith do not require a Stargate," Teal'c said. "It is actually better for our purposes if they are limited to only one way on or off the planet we choose for our ambush site."

"That way the Jaffa can cut them off from their darts and wipe them out on the ground," Rodney said, obviously smug about the whole idea – which may or may not have been his.

"And if they come in something bigger than a dart?"

"Then we call in bigger guns."

"Like…?"

"Like something _bigger_," he said, annoyed. "They can't have anything all that big or we'd know about it. We've been keeping an eye on the telemetry of the darts that Colonel Mitchell captured before wiping out the majority of the Wraith, and nothing has shown up."

"They could be hiding…"

Rodney shook his head.

"Not a chance."

"And you don't think the people on the bigger planet would be in danger if we lured a ship full of Wraith into their neighborhood?"

"Elizabeth, Ronon said they've never come after him in anything larger than groups of _six_ – and only a couple of times then. _That_ was when they had all sorts of Wraith running around to spare. They don't _have_ that luxury anymore and they're not going to be able to muster any kind of serious offensive."

She looked at Teal'c.

"You agree with that?"

He nodded.

"I do. Doctor McKay's assessment is correct."

He didn't exactly sound like he _wanted_ to agree, but it was obvious it was true.

"Then that's-"

An alarm stared blaring outside the door, drawing all their attention towards the operations room. An instant later they could all hear the Stargate dialing in. Weir lurched to her feet and headed for the door, with Rodney right behind her and Teal'c well ahead of her.

"Jaffa, _Kree_!"

Two Jaffa were on guard duty with two of the SGC personnel and while they'd already snapped to attention when they'd realized the gate was activating they now straightened even further, their staff weapons pointing towards the still shielded gate.

Weir turned to the Lieutenant who slipped into the chair in front of the computer that controlled all the Stargate operations. The woman looked over at one screen, pressed a button and then looked at the other screen. Then she looked at Weir.

"It's Colonel Sheppard's IDC."

"Lower the shield." Weir said, heading for the stairs. "And call Doctor Beckett and tell him what's going on."

Behind her she could hear the alarms being turned off, and McKay and Teal'c following her down the stairs as the shield dropped.

"They're early," Rodney said, concerned. "Mitchell said two weeks…"

"They did not give an exact time frame for the operation," Teal'c corrected. She'd said at the _most_ two weeks.

"They haven't checked in," McKay pressed, just certain something was wrong.

"They weren't _planning_ on checking in, Rodney," Weir reminded him. Mitchell hadn't seen the need to keep running out of the woods to check in every day, especially with all the firepower she had with her. Elizabeth had agreed – although it had been reluctantly. She preferred to keep track of her teams when they were off world.

The gate whooshed open, and the three of them stopped well back, making room for the large party that was arriving. A moment later three Jaffa, a wolf and Teyla emerged. All of them were covered in dried and drying blood, scrapes, and dirt. After them came three more Jaffa, another wolf and Ford, all of them in the same shape as the others, and Ford looking tired as he nodded a greeting to Weir. He didn't have time to say anything, though, because there were still more people emerging and they needed to make room.

The next group was Ronon, Doctor Cain, three Jaffa and Kale – in wolf form. Even Cain was smeared with blood, but so far Weir hadn't seen any sign of serious injury. Not even a limp.

As Teyla moved over to greet Teal'c with a tired but satisfied smile, the final members of the party emerged through the gate. Mitchell and Sheppard were flanked by the remaining Jaffa, with Char in his wolf form leading the way. For the first time, Weir saw limping, and she frowned at the Light One who was obviously favoring his right foreleg – which would be his right arm if he were to change his form.

"Is he okay?" she asked Teyla, who was closest.

"It is a deep laceration," she replied, not concerned. "Doctor Cain has taken care of it, and Char assured us that he was fine."

As she was speaking, the Light Ones were changing forms, and Mitchell and Sheppard walked over to stand in front of Weir and the others. They both looked tired, covered with blood, and John had a nasty bruise on his forehead.

"Back already?" Elizabeth asked, frowning at all the blood – which was a vivid display of just how fierce their battles must have been.

Mitchell smiled.

"We're done."

"Already?"

"Turned out we didn't have to go far to look for the fight."

"Oh?"

"The cats brought the fight to us," Sheppard said, smiling despite the fact that his head had to be killing him. "Courtesy of Talon and the baby Goa'uld that the Jaffa are toting around."

"Explain," Teal'c said, uncertain of what he meant.

"The cats are like the Wraith," Rodney said, guessing the meaning before anyone could say anything. "They ate the Wraith and probably took on that same characteristic, which means they were attracted to Mitchell and the Jaffa the same way the Wraith were – are."

Melony nodded, but her attention was elsewhere, now.

Weir followed her gaze, and hid a smile when she saw that Carson had entered the room with a large contingent of his medical crew behind him. She could almost see him pale at the sight of all the blood on the returned group, but he did relax a little when he saw Mitchell with the group and everyone upright.

"Yeah," Sheppard answered, not bothering to hide his own amusement.

Mitchell dug an elbow in his ribs; realizing that she'd lost the thread of the conversation and pulling herself back into things with a wry self-depreciating smile.

"Don't make me toss you out a window, Colonel."

Weir grinned.

"I want you all to report to the infirmary," she said. "We'll debrief once I know you're all healthy under all that blood."


	45. 45

"Tell me that's not all _your_ blood…"

Melony shook her head, looping her arm through Carson's.

"None of it is."

"Thank God. I've been worried sick about you."

"You shouldn't have," she told him, feeling just a little burst of pleasure at knowing that he cared that much for her – but still annoyed at another level because he didn't trust her to keep herself in one piece.

_You've come back several times beaten up or battered_, Talon reminded her. _He has a right to worry_

I know.

"Why didn't you change into a cleaner uniform?" he asked, still relieve that she was safe, but annoyed that she'd be wearing something that she had to have known would make him worry.

"This is the cleanest one I have…" she replied.

Which meant, of course, that the others she'd taken had even more blood on them – and hopefully none of _it_ hers, either.

"How did Doctor Cain handle himself?" Carson asked, changing the subject and watching the young doctor walking well ahead of them in the corridor. The young man was obviously in the middle of telling one of the nurses a story about one of the cat attacks, and was clearly making it into an epic tale – and probably one where he had a much larger role than he actually had.

"He did good. Aside from the bitching and moaning about being somewhere without having volunteered to be there in the first place, he came through when he needed to."

"He fought the cats?"

"Good Lord, no. I buried him under a Jaffa security team every time we camped." She smiled. "But when he was needed for small injuries – we didn't take any serious ones – he was there."

"Good."

"But you still wish you could have come…"

"Aye."

She tightened her arm on his, giving it a little hug.

"I wish you had been there, Carson – just for the company – but I'm glad you weren't, because it was pretty hairy out there, and I needed to be able to concentrate on what was going on around us."

His annoyance faded, and he smiled softly.

"I distract you that much?"

Now it was her turn to smile.

"Sometimes."

_Most of the time_

Hush.

OOOOOOOOOO

Despite all the blood – and the scratched and battered armor – Melony was right. There weren't any serious injuries. Carson and his staff checked out all of the returning team – Jaffa included, despite the fact they said they were fine – and aside from the nasty slash on Char's forearm and Sheppard's bruised head they really _were_ fine.

The entire group was released without hesitation, and while the Jaffa headed off to tell the other Jaffa of their adventures (and to go mend their armor), the rest of them joined Weir and the others in the conference room.

"You didn't bring any back with you?" Weir asked.

Mitchell shook her head, but it was Sheppard who answered.

"Not a chance. The bastards were way too dangerous to even try to catch, much less bring back here and hope they didn't get loose."

"Not to mention trying to get one of them back to the Stargate…" Ronon added.

Teyla nodded her agreement.

"It would have been difficult at best, and suicide at worst."

Weir's eyebrows rose.

"Really? They're _that_ dangerous?"

"Oh, yeah," John said, nodding. "They're insanely fast."

"Are you certain you got all of them?" she asked the room in general.

"Yes," Mitchell said. "We got 'em all. The first two days we were attacked three times. The next day we were attacked once, and the last day we didn't see anything that was more dangerous than Sheppard's haircut."

John smirked.

"All total we counted 38 kills, and we walked all over the place those last two days, basically using the Jaffa and Colonel Mitchell here to try and lure out another attack."

"When none came, we were pretty sure that we'd found them all."

"But we're going to go back and make sure later," Melony added. "Just to double-check with the villagers to make sure they haven't been losing people or anything."

"And you think they're _really_ going to go back into the forest?" Weir asked, skeptically.

"They already were," Teyla said.

"By the time we left, they were heading in to make up for lost time," Sheppard added.

"Trap lines, hunting and all kinds of wood gathering," Mitchell said, smiling. "Only the men, for now – just to make sure – but if they don't see anything in the next few weeks, they'll have trouble keeping the women and kids out."

"Good."

"Did you find a place for us to trap Wraith?" Ronon asked, predictably being the one to change the subject to the Wraith.

Rodney nodded.

"We think so. We'll want to go check it out, but Teal'c and I have pretty much decided on a nice little moon-like planet that seems to be perfect for what we want to do."

Melony looked at Teal'c for confirmation, and her First Prime nodded his agreement.

"It appears to be more than suitable for our purposes."

"Great. We'll take a few days off, relax and get some rest, and then go check it out."

"Will you require our assistance with this?" Kale asked from his position in the chair beside Weir.

Melony shook her head, knowing that the Light Ones wanted to get home – and not blaming them a bit. Of course, he was pretty sure that Kale wasn't in a _complete_ hurry to leave…

"Stay and unwind while Char's arm heals – we'd like the company, of course – but there aren't that many Wraith left, and I don't think we'll need the back up this time."

The Light Ones all smiled and nodded their agreement. Atlantis was a fine place to spend time – and Char wouldn't be able to fly very well until the gash in his arm healed – so they had reason enough to stick around. And Kale had more reason than the others.

"Anything else?" Weir asked the others in the room.

They all shook their heads.

"Then take some time off. We'll meet later once you've all managed to get some sleep and a hot meal."

There were murmurs of agreement and everyone stood up and headed for the door – and Weir wasn't surprised to see some of them were already pairing off. Obviously, not everyone had sleeping on their minds – or rest.

She smiled, looking over at Kale.

Nothing wrong with _that_, right?


	46. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

The city was darkened for the evening, with the lights in many of the corridors dimmed in deference of the late hour. Standing on one of the many balconies, dressed in soft leather pants and an intricately embroidered tunic, Ronon Dex looked out over the water and the rest of the city, not really paying all that much attention to what he was seeing, even though the view was magnificent – even in the near dark.

"I figured you'd have been in bed by now…"

He'd been aware of her approach. Not a lot got by him, after all – not after years of constantly being on the run. He just hadn't known who was coming, or if they'd even stop. When she spoke, though, he shook his head, not turning around.

"I'm not sleepy."

Melony Mitchell was wearing sweats and a bulky sweatshirt against the chill of the night, and she stepped up to stand beside him at the rail, looking out as well. She'd slept most of the afternoon and evening, and had woken needing a cup of coffee and some fresh air. Kissing Carson softly, and telling him she'd be back in a bit, she'd left her quarters and headed for the commissary. Only to have seen him standing alone in the moonlight. A stance she recognized well, since she tended to stand in the same place much of the time. It was a good place to think, she knew.

"Need to talk?"

"Not really."

She didn't reply, but she also didn't move, watching the waves below them barely lit up against the bright moon that was out, and the fainter lights coming from the other side of the city. A couple of minutes later, Dex spoke again.

"McKay seems pretty certain of this planet he and your Jaffa found."

"Teal'c isn't _my_ Jaffa," Melony replied. "But yes, he does seem sure of himself. He usually is, though."

"With good reason?"

"Most of the time. You don't necessarily need to tell him I said that, though."

Ronon nodded, still looking out over the ocean.

"They destroyed my planet… it doesn't seem to be enough that we're only going to get a few at a time…"

"There aren't a lot left…"

"I know. They've escaped me."

Meaning he'd wanted to have his own justice. And she didn't blame him a bit.

"They killed a very good friend of mine," she said, softly. "They tortured him trying to get him to tell them where his home was – where they could find a new feeding ground."

"He didn't tell them?"

She shook her head.

"No."

They were both silent for a while, reliving their own hurts, and the city and the ocean around them moved on.

"I want the rest of them dead…" he finally said.

"I know."

"You'll help?"

"Yes."

He nodded.

"I could probably make myself useful around here while we wait for some to take the bait…"

"I was hoping you would. I know Colonel Sheppard could put your abilities to good use."

"Is he in charge? Or are you?"

"_Doctor Weir_ is. Then him."

"But he takes orders from you…"

"I outrank him."

"Then _you're_ in charge…"

"It's complicated," she admitted. "But he's in charge of the military aspect here on Atlantis. I just help where I can."

"Which is what I'll be doing?"

"Yes."

"So does he do what I tell him?"

She smiled.

"He'll listen to your suggestions, I can promise you that."

"And the Jaffa?"

"They probably won't."

"But they'll listen to you…"

"Yes."

"They're very impressive."

"Yes."

"I could probably even learn something from them…"

"If you stick around and keep an open mind about them you will. I learn from them every day."

He nodded, and looked over at her for the first time.

"You're a hard person to understand."

Melony smiled, looking over at him as well.

"I was thinking the same thing about you."

He looked down at her shirt, ready to change the subject.

"What's a Green Bay Packers?"

"A sports team from where I'm from. A _football_ team."

"Football?"

"It's a game," she told him. "A wonderful game that I'm considering teaching the Jaffa, just so I can have someone to play it with here."

"You think they'd play a game just for you?"

Melony smiled.

"Football isn't just _any_ game, Ronon. It's the _greatest_ game… You'd probably like it."

"Yeah?"

He hadn't had a lot of time to think of anything fun the last seven years, and suddenly wanted to know more.

She nodded.

"Come on. We'll go wake up Colonel Sheppard and steal his tape, and I'll show you."

"What?"

She smiled, and took his arm, pulling him away from the rail – and his bleak thoughts.

"Come on. You'll see."

Intrigued, he allowed her to pull him, and turned his back on the view. As amazing as the city itself was, he was a part of it now, and would have plenty of nights to stand and stare out at the waves and the view. For now… he'd learn about something else. Something fun. The Wraith would come, he was certain. He could wait.

_**The end!**_

_So! Now we have Ronon Dex, who I absolutely love! I hope you liked the story!_


End file.
